A Twist of Fate
by Legacy of the Avatar
Summary: Zuko captures Katara, in hopes of snaring Aang. On his way back to the raft, though, he and Katara are taken by a group of thugs called Ends of Fate, intent on using them to lure Aang and Iroh to them. Emotions & adventure run high in A Twist of Fate.
1. Captured

Yay, another Zutara! This one is from Zuko's POV. Sorry if my updates for this one are slower, life has just got hetic, what with the stupid state-issued standardized testing and my grandfather in the hostipital. But, hey, that's middle school for ya.

_

* * *

There's not much light in the campsite. We didn't want to draw attention to us, in case the Avatar or the Water Tribe boy saw us._

_I have captured the Waterbender, the girl that traveled with the Avatar. She had stolen a scroll from pirates and they had struck a deal with my uncle and myself. I would help them find the girl and they would get the scroll. Though I would have rather avoided helping criminals, it seemed the perfect way to capture the girl as bait for the Avatar. _

_She is not being cooperative. The girl refuses to tell us where her companions are. "Try to understand," I say is a whisper. "I need the Avatar to restore something I've lost. My honor. Perhaps is exchange I could restore something to you." I pull out the necklace I found lying on the abandoned prison ship a few weeks ago._

_"My mother's necklace!" she gasps. "Where did you get it?"_

_"I didn't _steal _it, if that's what you're wondering," I reply, putting the necklace back. _

Prince Zuko woke up with a start. A bad idea, as he rocked the small raft he and his uncle had been forced to use in order to follow the Avatar. The movement woke his uncle.

"Prince Zuko, is something the matter?" The Fire Prince shook his head.

"No, Uncle," he lied, not wanting to make his uncle worry. "Something startled me." Iroh shrugged and rolled back over, falling back asleep in seconds. Zuko rolled his eyes, knowing that his uncle's snores would keep him awake, like they had for the past week and a half. It was had been during the few hours of sleep the Prince got in the course of that week and a half that these dreams had been occurring. They alternated between the scene with the pirates and the fight the girl and he had at the North Pole. In each incident, Zuko had known that he could have, and ought to have, hurt the girl in worse ways. (Other than tying her up and taking the Avatar from the oasis after soundly defeating her.) But, for some unknown reason, he hadn't.

Of course, it could be that he was too honorable to maim a helpless person, even a Waterbender. Or it could be that, if he harmed the girl, the Avatar's Spirit would merely give the young Airbender enough power to kill Zuko. But for whatever reason, those particular scenes were bothering the prince, and he intended to find out why.

Break

The prince led his uncle through the woods. "Prince Zuko," he uncle panted, "why did you abandon the raft?"

"Because, Uncle, there is no possible way to catch that giant monster with a small raft. We have a better chance on foot."

"Yes, but the raft was much more comfortable," Iroh pointed out.

"I don't care," Zuko replied. "I need to capture the Avatar."

"And you think that you will have a better chance on foot?" The prince didn't reply. "Prince Zuko, the raft was faster than walking!"

"Uncle, do you have to yell?" Zuko asked, turning around. "I'm trying to concentrate." His uncle lapsed into silence.

Zuko's thoughts went back to trying to figure out where the Avatar would be next. He had to master Earthbending, that Zuko knew. But which city would he go to learn it?

There were three main choices. Ba Sing Se, Omashu, and Hua. Ba Sing Se was under siege by the Fire Nation, so Zuko doubted the Avatar would go there. Omashu was too far away, which left…

"Hua."

"What was that, Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked.

"The Avatar must be going to Hua. Ba Sing Se is under siege and Omashu is too far for the Avatar to travel there quickly. Hua is the only choice."

"Perhaps. Or you could just follow the bison he rides," Iroh said, nonchalantly.

"What?"

"The bison. It is overhead as we speak."

Zuko fought to keep his temper in check. "How long have you known this, Uncle?"

"Ten seconds, actually." But he was speaking to open air. Zuko had run off, determined to find where the Avatar would camp. Iroh shrugged and continued at his rather slow pace, knowing that, sooner or later, his nephew would tire and wait for him.

Iroh was wrong, in a sense. When Zuko spotted the Avatar, adrenaline coursed through his veins, giving him the energy to run a hundred yards and not even tire. In fact, he ran a hundred yards before he saw the bison descend. Slowing his pace considerably, Zuko hid behind a tree.

"I think it's safe to stop for the night," the Avatar was saying. "I don't think anyone could have caught up with us, since Zuko's stuck on a raft. And I think Zhao got taken by the Ocean Spirit, but I'm not sure."

"How can you not be sure?" the Water Tribe boy exclaimed. "You were possessed by the Ocean Spirit!"

"It left me after I chased the other ships out to sea, Sokka," the Avatar explained. "I don't remember what happened afterwards."

"He's right," the Waterbender said, dropping a load of wood next to the boy. "Now, who's going to light the fire?"

Both the girl and the Avatar turned to the other boy. "What?" he asked. "Are you telling me to start the fire?"

"No," the girl said. "We're making you. Either that or you go hungry." The boy instantly attempted to start the fire.

"You know something, Katara? I think the Waterbending has messed with your head," the boy called over his shoulder as the girl dug out some food.

"Hey, at least _I _wasn't dumb enough to insult the Warriors of Kyoshi!"

The boy groaned. "Not that again! Haven't I already apologized? Besides, who's the one that nearly got us captured by pirates?"

"You were the one that nearly got us killed by Fire Nation soldiers, and then almost got yourself murdered by Jet!" the girl exclaimed. "Not to mention you nearly drowned in that storm."

"Guys, guys," the Avatar said, stepping between the two. "Remember what happened in the canyon? Let's not start another 100 years feud." The two others looked at him, then shrugged. Everyone returned to what each had been doing.

Just as Zuko was about to attack, he heard his uncle's rather loud voice, asking why he hadn't waited for him. Zuko winced as he heard the three younger teens jump up. "Was that necessary, Uncle?" Zuko asked through gritted teeth.

He didn't have time to say more, as a huge ball of air knocked him off his feet. Swearing, the prince stood up, returning the blast with one of his own. Everyone but the girl dodged it. The girl wasn't burned, but the force of the blast stunned her and threw her off her feet. Knowing that he either had to take her or lose an advantage and probably be captured himself, Zuko grabbed the girl, blasting a particularly dry tree, setting the grove aflame.

They were a few yard out of the grove when Zuko stopped. Turning to his uncle, who had followed Zuko out with speed that belied his age, the prince said, "We should split up. If the Avatar somehow puts out that fire, they'll be after us. You head straight for the raft. I'll take the girl and go a longer route."

"But, Prince Zuko-"

"No, Uncle. I'll be fine," Zuko said, not as harsh as his order had been. "Trust me." He set off in a different direction from his uncle.

It was no picnic to carry the girl, who had been knocked unconscious. Zuko winced as every step was louder than he would have wished. _Stupid peasant, allowing herself to be stunned by a simple concussion blast, _he thought.

_You blasted her._

Inwardly, Zuko rolled his eyes. His conscience was always acting up when he didn't want it to. It was his conscience that had given him the scar.

So lost in his thoughts was Zuko that he didn't hear the man drop from the tree behind him. By the time he did, it was too late. The man stuffed a cloth coated with sleeping herbs over Zuko's nose and mouth. Zuko opened his mouth to cry out, but the herbs took hold of his senses. The last thing he saw was a group of men dressed in colors from every nation surrounding him and the girl.


	2. Awake

Zuko woke up with a pounding headache. Groaning, he attempted to turn over, but found himself tied to something. Furious, he thrashed about, determined to get free.

His movement alerted the guards. "Fei," one called out, "go get the boss!"

"What if I can't find 'im?" the one called Fei asked.

"Then bring the second in command, you dimwit."

"What if I can't find 'er?"

"You'll find one of 'em! Just go!" Fei scrambled to obey.

Fei was gone for two minutes when Katara began to wake up. Also tied, she, too, thrashed about.

"It's no good tryin' to break free, missy," the guard called. "Them ropes are tied tight. You and yer boyfriend can fergit about escape."

Zuko and Katara would have protested that last comment if their mouths had not been covered. Even still, you could hear the muffled protests.

The two captives were silenced by the arrival of someone else. A man, not much older than Zuko, walked in with an "I own this place, so shut up" air. He had the look of one not used to being ignored.

"Well, well, well. Two Benders, both from opposite elements. What a lucky day." The man smirked. "Oh, forgive my manners. I am Ji Li, the one in charge of this underground village. And you two were lucky enough to land right in my territory."

_What territory? _Zuko thought.

Ji Li paid no heed to Zuko's furious look. "And now, you two are my prisoners. Hin here will show you to another, more comfortable cell. Hin!" The man snapped his fingers and the guard, who resembled a sausage with hair, hoisted Katara over his shoulder.

"Git up," he growled to Zuko, untying his body from the pole. Zuko stumbled up, but found his legs had fallen asleep. Hin sighed and motioned to Fei, who had returned, to help him.

Fei's idea of helping was kicking Zuko. When that failed, the skinny guard pushed Zuko to the cell, shoving him onto the ground once there. Hin set Katara down with a _whump! _He untied the bonds on Katara but ignore Zuko completely, walking out and shutting the heavy earthen door.

Zuko's whole body was in pain from Fei's kicking and pushing. _If I don't move, then the pain will lessen,_ Zuko thought, remembering what his uncle had taught him. Unable to see the girl very well from his position, or much of anything in the dark, Zuko relied on his other senses to gather what the girl was doing.

By the sounds she was making, the girl was trying to move but was failing. Zuko assumed that she was also in a great deal of pain.

Suddenly, light poured into the cell. A cheerful voice rang out, "I'm sorry. Ji Li never thinks before he does things. I told him to put you two into a brighter cell, but he never listens to me. Here, let me untie you."

A female's hand reached over to Zuko and untied him. The Fire Prince sat upright, but winced as he did so.

"Yuk, looks like that arm of yours is broken," a small, plump young lady said. "Good thing I brought those splints. Oh, and I'm assuming your Waterbender friend can heal?"

"We're not friends," both Zuko and Katara said instantly.

"Whatever. Anyway, can you?" she asked, turning to Katara.

"Yes, but not broken bones or anything," the girl said.

The lady shrugged. "That's fine, though you might want to heal those bruises and cuts that you and this young man have. I told my husband to be careful, but did he listen? Noooo."

"Husband?" the girl asked. Zuko was too sore to say much.

"Yes. Ji Li is my husband. I'm Ming Su Li, but call me Su." The lady, Su, looked at the still open door and continued. "Anyway, I figured the Waterbender could heal, so I brought two buckets of water, one for healing and washing up, the other for drinking. And get any ideas of water whipping me," Su said with a look at Katara, whose face seemed to say that she had fully intended on it. "There are three guards, all of whom are armed and very dangerous. Not to mention I could knock both of you out with one blow."

Zuko scoffed. "You?"

"Me. I may not look it, but I'm actually a good fighter. Back at the refugee center, none of the Earth Kingdom refugees could beat me."

"You're from the Water Tribe!" the girl exclaimed.

Su shook her long black hair. "Mom was the Water Tribe healer of the center. Dad was a refugee." She looked a bit sad for a moment, but quickly let it pass. "As I was saying, the water is by the door, as is two weeks worth of food and firewood."

"Why would we need wood?" Zuko asked, daring to get up, his right arm in a ton of pain.

"Do you really think you could keep a fire going all night with a broken arm?" Su asked amused. "No one is that good. Now, I'll leave the splints here with you two. I suggest you eat and then rest, both of you. My husband's troops aren't careful when it comes to treating wounded captives." Before the prince could object to being called a captive, Su left and the door was shut behind her.

Zuko was left in a state of shock. This young woman had just entered, left some supplies, and then left herself. It was the oddest thing that had ever happened.

The Water Tribe girl thought so too, but didn't dwell on it for very long. She limped over to the door, found the water, wood, food, and splints, then asked, "Could you start a fire in here? I need light to see." Zuko shot her a hate-filled glance, though he knew she would not be able to see it. Sighing, the prince sent a small blast of fire at the pile of wood Katara had laid aside. Instantly, the whole cell lit up. Zuko could see that the Water peasant was bloody, bruised, and battered.

_Bastards. She wasn't in that condition when I had her. _Zuko thought vehemently of the big, burly man that had tossed the girl over his shoulder, knowing she was hurt. He caught himself. Why on Earth was he angry for the injuries the girl had sustained?

_Honor._

It was against Zuko's honor to treat a female, no matter what element they bended or were aligned to, in the way that guard had treated the Water Tribe girl. That was why, he assumed, he felt fury towards the guards. That and the fact he was rather bloodied up.

The Water girl healed her own bruise first. With a hint of annoyance, she said, "I guess I'll have to put your arm in a splint and heal you next, huh? Why did they put me in a cell with a Firebender?"

Zuko didn't reply. The pain in his arm had increased significantly, and he knew that angering the Waterbender would not help it. Zuko sat silently as the girl gently put his broken arm into the splint, then healed some of the worse cuts and bruises. (He would have protested, but even he could tell that those were some really nasty cuts and instant healing would be wiser than letting them heal on their own.) She also did something to help the fiery pain in his arm cease.

"There. That should help," the girl said, though she didn't sound happy about it. Zuko shrugged and began to meditate, the flames flickering with each breath.

"You're amazing."

"What?" The comment had caught Zuko off guard.

"Here you are, bloodied up worse than if you had gone through a forest of knives, and you are meditating." The girl seemed genuinely surprised.

"I can keep a calm head in times of crisis," Zuko whispered. "Firebenders have to." He ignored the girl and returned to trying to focus on the fire.

A few hours were spent that way, with nothing changing. Suddenly, the girl yawned, break Zuko's concentration. "Was that necessary?" Zuko growled.

"Well, I, unlike some people, am extremely tired. Being stunned by a Fire Prince, then being drugged and beaten up by a bunch of brutes does that to a person. And I think that one of them was drunk."

"Hmph." Zuko realized that, though he would never admit it, he too, was tired. "If you're so tired, why don't you go to sleep?"

"Not while you're still up," the girl muttered, just loud enough for Zuko to hear. Obviously, she didn't trust him.

_What is with Waterbenders? Always so mistrusting of other people._

_Can you blame them? _Zuko's conscience nagged. _They've survived the last 100 years of war because they don't let most outsiders into their villages. _

_I have never been, and will never be, like other Firebender soldiers! _Zuko countered, and then inwardly shook himself. Arguing with his conscience was like arguing with a tree. Absolutely no good would come of it.

* * *

Zuko woke up the next morning stiff, his arm on fire. Swearing, he gently sat up, relighting the embers of last night's fire. The prince assumed that this cell was made from stone or something, otherwise he was sure his, here he shuddered, _captors _would not allow fire. Zuko sighed and took a good look around.

It was clearly sunrise, or he would not have been up. Without windows, he couldn't be sure, but it was a good guess. The door Su had entered by yesterday was made from a very hard rock and looked heavy. It alone took up on wall of the cell, which was a bit bigger than the Avatar's flying bison.

Then there was the girl, whom her brother and the Avatar called Katara. She was still asleep. Zuko's gaze landed on her for a minute, seeing her, for the first time, as everyone else saw her. Not as a Water peasant, but as a human being. _A very pretty human being._

The thought startled Zuko. Where on Earth had that come from? Yes, it was true that she wasn't ugly like many of the Fire Nation girls (monkeys, all of them), but she was his enemy. Pure bad luck had gotten him stuck with her in this cell.

It was just bad luck.


	3. Tears

Katara woke up soon after Zuko did. She yawned, muttering something about the light of the fire waking her up. "Why do you have to get up so early?" she moaned.

"I'm a Firebender. I rise with the sun," was Zuko's curt reply. The less said, the better.

"Well, for a morning person you sure are grumpy," the girl said, taking a drink of water from the bucket. "Did a rock prevent you from sleeping?"

"No," Zuko replied, meditating. Why didn't she get the point? The prince wanted to be left alone. He breathed out with a bit more force then he ought to have, hoping she'd get it.

She didn't. Or, if she did, she ignored him. Instead, she dragged the bucket of water over and sat next to Zuko. "I need to see how that arm is doing, Prince Zuko. Hold still."

Zuko didn't have time to object. He could only wince as she quickly looked over the arm. "Do you have to be so rough, you stupid peasant?" Zuko muttered, hoping she didn't hear.

Katara heard the last bit. "I have a name, you know. It's Katara and I'll thank you to remember it. I don't have to treat you, you know. I could let you suffer in pain while I heal myself and feel better instantly. Now, other than being broken, your arm seems to be fine. No bone poking through, thank Roku. I would not want to get a knife in here and cut your arm off."

Though he tried not to show it, the thought just terrified the prince. Losing a limb was a great disgrace to a Firebender, who's bending skill required use of both arms and legs. Even if he captured the Avatar, his father would certainly never respect him again. Zuko sat while Katara set his arm back into the splint.

"Okay, that's done. Now, before you go all remote and gloomy on me, do you want breakfast?"

Breakfast. The Fire Prince had forgotten all about breakfast. Silently, the prince nodded, taking the food that was handed to him. Zuko ate it, the dry bread doing absolutely nothing but filling him up.

Afterwards, it was quiet. For a few hours, Zuko meditated and Katara just sat. It was obvious that the girl was bored. _Hmph. She doesn't know the meaning of boredom, _Zuko though disdainfully. _Watching my uncle play that silly game is boring. Listening to his ridiculous lectures is boring. Being stuck a ship with him for two consecutive years is boring. _

_So is this, _his conscience nagged. _And the girl wouldn't be here right now if it hadn't been for you._

There it was again, Zuko's conscience. Zuko frowned, sending the flames of the fire higher. So high, in fact, that the girl was forced move away, quickly.

"Whoa! Hot ashes!" Katara cried. "Did you have to do that?"

"Sorry," Zuko muttered. The girl looked at him funny.

"Did you just_ apologize?_"

"Yes," Zuko said, glaring at the girl. His glare usually made whoever he was looking at stand down. Not this girl. She was looking at him in a state of half-awe, half-shock.

"That's a surprise. I didn't think you knew how to apologize."

The prince turned away, his scarred cheek facing the girl. "I do," he whispered quietly. The two said nothing more the rest of the morning.

It was about noon when either one of them spoke again. "Are you going to do that all day?" Katara asked.

"What?" Zuko wished she would startle him.

"You've been meditating all morning," the girl stated.

Zuko made as if to get up, but found himself unable to move without extreme pain. Twisting, Zuko had to bit his lip to prevent himself from crying out. His pain showed in his eyes and Katara saw it. She knelt over by the prince.

"Oh," she gasped, covering her mouth. "I didn't see this last night." Zuko had a huge gash on his back, the tunic ripped. It wasn't bleeding, but it was red and irritated. Katara quickly got the water and attempted to heal. Zuko moved out of her way, though it aggravated his back.

"I don't need your healing," he spat.

"Yes you do," the girl replied. "And since I'm the only one who will tend to you, I have to do it. Now, sit still, or you'll just make it worse."

_She sounds like my mother, _Zuko thought with a pang of sadness. His mother had died when he was young and he barely remembered her. Suddenly, he was snapped from his thought as a burning sensation overtook him.

"Ouch!" he muttered. Zuko really couldn't help saying it.

"Sorry. I told you to stay still," Katara rebuked as she placed her hands on the gash gently and focused. Instantly the pain receded. "There. You'll have one heck of a scar, but otherwise you'll be fine." The prince felt the Waterbender's hands leave his back.

Zuko turned to face the fire, taking solace in the twisting designs of the flame tendrils. He could hear the girl wait for a thank you, and, not getting one, sighed and returned to her spot.

Suddenly, the cell door burst open and Su, the lady from the day before, came in. "Ji Li asked me to check up on you two. I told him it was rather stupid to put a Fire Prince and a Waterbender together, but he never listens to me."

"You know I'm a prince?" Zuko asked, turning to face her.

"The armor gave it away, plus that doddering old monkey you were with cried out your name, which is what alerted the spies to you and the girl. Sorry, but I'm not sure you two told me your names yesterday. Obviously, the prince is Zuko, but you are…?" Su asked Katara.

"Katara," the girl said, a bit taken aback by Su's behavior. "What does you're husband want with us?"

Su shrugged. "Either he wants you two to join the other captive Benders and work or he's gonna make you two fight to the death, I'm not sure."

"What!" Zuko yelled. "He is going to what?"

"You heard me. Ji Li doesn't like Benders, never has. I think it's because he believes that it's the Bender's fault for the war. If he could get the Avatar, I'm sure he'd change his mind. But, since the Avatar is currently on his way to Ba Sing Se, and Ji Li won't send troops there, I don't think he's gonna change his mind anytime soon."

Zuko and Katara looked at each other in awe. How on Earth could this woman know where the Avatar was going next? Katara voiced that question.

"It's rather hard to miss a giant fluffy Flying Bison when the species has, like, ten in it," Su pointed out. "Plus, he has to master Earthbending now, right? Ba Sing Se is the closest city. The boy Avatar flew his bison right past my window. No one else knows, though. They all think I'm a bit crazy."

It was evident from the looks on the two Benders' faces that they thought so, too. Oblivious to the looks she was receiving, Su added, "I think you two will be safe from the arena. Ji Li usually won't force two completely opposite Benders to fight. But I don't know what work he'd make you two do."

Zuko held up his hand. "You mean to tell me that your husband _enslaves _Benders?"

Su nodded. "That's about right. Occasionally he'll let them go, but that only happens if I manage to convince him. And, trust me, that can take years."

The Water Tribe girl had tears in her eyes. Zuko felt a twinge of concern, but only because he knew she was upset at never seeing her brother or the Avatar again, just as he was upset that he'd never be allowed to return to his throne. Su realized this, and instantly felt sorry for what she had said.

"Oh, I have a really big mouth. I'm always saying things I shouldn't, to people I oughtn't. But here's some good news. My husband, um, how do I say this?" Su muttered. "My husband doesn't like to hurt young people. Especially pretty young women and well-trained warriors. I'm not sure about the prince here, but you fall under one of the categories. He will usually let them go within a few months, weeks if I have my way. No promises, though. I'll see if I can talk some sense into Ji Li, okay?"

Katara simply nodded, head down. Su looked at her with an apologetic glance, then left. Not two seconds after Su was out of earshot did Katara start crying.


	4. Shock

Katara cried for what seemed like the rest of the day, finally tiring herself out and falling asleep, considerably paler than she had been. Zuko was glad of the reprieve, which gave him time to meditate. The incessant crying had annoyed the prince to no end.

_Wouldn't you be crying if you found out you couldn't see your family again?_

Zuko shook his head. For the last two years, he _hadn't _seen his family, and he hadn't cried in that amount of time. Ignoring his conscience, Zuko began meditating. He would have begun practicing, but the cell wasn't large enough to do that without burning the girl, or himself.

Gradually, meditation began to bore the Fire Prince. He was sixteen, and even moody, driven princes can only tolerate so much meditation before they finally crack. Without the Avatar to chase, Zuko discovered, time seemed to drag. With nothing else to do, the Fire Prince laid down to sleep.

When the prince next awoke, the girl was already up. "Hmmm, I though Firebenders rose with the sun," she said, a bit of amusement in her voice.

"You're weeping kept me up all night," Zuko growled. "Of course I'd sleep late." Of course, that was a lie. His sleep had been plagued with nightmares again and the prince hadn't been able to sleep well until about midnight. But the girl had no need to know that.

"Sorry for my emotions, _your highness,_" she said with a hint of contempt. "But I was told that I might never get to see my brother or anyone I care for again. Just because you have the emotional capacity of a thimble does not mean I do."

Zuko ignored the last comment and began to focus on the fire just as it went out. Sighing, the prince got up to get more of the wood Su had left two days ago, only to find that it all gone, leaving just a few small pieces. "How much wood did that woman leave?"

"About two days worth, why?"

"Because this is the last of it," Zuko said, setting the wood on the remains of the old fire and igniting them. It was a feeble fire at most, barely enough to light up a few feet around the wood. Even if Zuko focused on making the flames go higher, it still didn't light up very much space.

"I don't suppose you'd be kind enough to become a human torch," Katara muttered just loud enough for Zuko to hear. The prince shot her a scornful look. "Just asking."

Zuko sighed and put his hand to his head. He didn't know how much more of this he could take. Being locked in a cell was one thing. Being locked in a cell with a Waterbender was a completely different matter, especially this Waterbender, the one that haunted his sleep.

Something caught the prince's eye. It was the girl's necklace. The same one he had found all those, what seemed like, years ago. It shone rather brightly in the light of the fire. The girl caught him looking at it.

"What? Is there something on my dress?" she asked, snapping the prince back down to earth. He hurried looked away and shook his head. Katara shrugged and looked off to the side. Suddenly, she got up and began running her hand along the wall. "Prince Zuko, could you come here please?" The prince, confused, got up and followed the girl. "Could you shed some light right over here? I see something," Katara said.

Zuko lit a small flame and held to where Katara pointed. It was in a crevice large enough for about three people. Inside that crevice was what appeared to be the remains of a…

"Human," Zuko whispered. "Those are human remains." The girl nodded, hand over her mouth. She ran back to the fireside, panting.

"He let that poor person rot away in here," she gasped, her face suddenly very pale. "And he's going to do the same thing to us! That poor captive couldn't have been much older than me." She looked about to fall down in a faint.

Instinct told Zuko to catch her, which is exactly what the prince did. Katara collapsed in the Fire Prince's warm touch. She was still conscious, weeping softly. Zuko realized that she was in shock, the news yesterday and the discovery today taking it's toll on her. "He's going to kill us; he's going to kill us!" Katara muttered repeatedly.

Zuko was really confused. He had never dealt with a young girl in shock before and was at a lost. He did know that if she didn't calm down, she could die. A close friend of his uncle's had died that way. _How do you treat shock? _he asked himself.

_The same way to wake someone who's sleepwalking. _

_Water._

Zuko set the girl down gently and brought the water bucket over to her. The sound of splashing water brought the girl back to her senses. Still a bit in shock, Katara bended the cooling water onto her face. "Thank you," she whispered, her skin returning to its customary tan. "Th-the bones-"

Zuko nodded and held up his hand. "It's fine. It could have happened to almost anyone." The flames flickered, the light dancing along the walls of the cell. Zuko attempted to sit down, but the splint was caught on something. Turning, he saw it was caught on a rock that was jutting out. He tugged at it, biting his lip when his arm jerked. The cloth came loose, but it also ripped a bit.

"That reminds me," Katara said. "I need to check your arm."

"No, I'm fine," Zuko muttered.

"Ha! If I'm not mistaken, a broken arm is a sign of weakness in the Fire Nation?" Katara remarked.

Zuko's temper flared. "I am not weak, you little peasant." Katara reached out and slapped Zuko's face, leaving a slight red mark.

"Don't call me a peasant, you spoiled little prince!" she cried. "I don't _have_ to heal you, ya know!" Zuko gingerly rubbed his now-sore face. If he wanted to, he could hurt the girl tremendously, and he'd have every right to. _No one _had so much as playfully punched him in two years and got away with it.

_No. Don't lose your temper, _the prince thought to himself. However, not retaliating would show weakness, and weak was something the prince was not. Not knowing what else to do, Zuko reached out and snatched Katara's necklace right from her neck.

That did it. Katara was on Zuko faster than Sokka on blubbered seal jerky. She water whipped the prince and laid him out flat on his stomach. Twisting his good arm behind Zuko's back, Katara snatched the necklace and let go. Her braid had come undone slightly and her chocolate brown hair was in her face. "_Never _steal my necklace from me again."

"Or what?" Zuko asked, smirking as he sat himself up.

"Or I'll, I'll, I'll freeze you!" Katara said, slightly flustered.

Zuko smirked even wider. "Hmm. Remember last time you tried to freeze me?"

"It was sunrise! Of course you were going to melt through my ice!" exclaimed Katara. "If it had still been nighttime, you'd have gotten frostbite before you had melted through. And don't forget who kicked your butt afterwards," she pointed out.

"How can I?" Zuko muttered. "I'm still sore from that rematch." It was Katara's turn to smirk.

"Ha!"

"Ha? Is that all you can come up with?" Zuko asked, still smirking. Katara's smirk dropped like a Komodo Rhino that ate too much. "In the Fire Nation, we're trained to never let our opponent outwit us." Katara looked about ready to say something, but found herself at a lost for words. "See? You can't even come up with a comeback!"

"At least my Nation still wants me!" Katara said, though she instantly regretted it. "I didn't mean to say-"

"Just shut up," Zuko snapped. "Don't even think about trying to heal my arm, you filthy water peasant."

He hadn't meant to sound so cruel, but Katara's remark had stung Zuko deeply. Zuko expected some remark from Katara, but to his surprise, he got none. Just a nod from Katara and silence.

* * *

A little fighting here. I wanted to...actually, the whole going from concern to hate kinda happened naturally. (shrugs) Oh, well. Good thing Zuko's prone to mood swings.


	5. Ji Li

The feeble fire lasted for about a day. It went out suddenly, plunging the two captive teens into complete darkness.

"This is like when Zhao killed the Moon Spirit back at the North Pole," Katara muttered as Zuko attempted to relight the embers.

Zuko grunted. He still hadn't forgiven her for the comment made about his Nation not wanting him back. _My father _will _welcome me back. Just as soon as I get out of here and capture the Avatar. And I'll use the girl as bait. _

The prince sat back. "It's no good. The embers aren't large enough to ignite a twig." He bended a small flame in the palm of his hand, giving him enough light to see Katara on the other side of the dead fire. Her face and hair were filthy, but Zuko supposed that he didn't look, or smell, much better.

Katara sighed. "And the water supply Su left us is nearly out. I was right! That man is out to kill us!"

A deep, throaty chuckle sounded from the door. "Oh no, my dear Waterbender, not yet. I might decide to spare you all together." The two Benders turned to the door.

Ji Li was standing there, six guards surrounding him. The face of Ji Li was not one you'd expect from one who kills and enslaves benders. His face was smooth and young, about twenty. He had a few scars from various battles, and a head full of thick, black hair. The emblem on his cloak clasp was the Earth Kingdom's, and the sword at his side had the same embossed on its sheath. He carried that weapon with the easy grace of one who knew how to use it.

"My guards here will escort you two to new, separate cells," Ji Li was saying. "I can't have you two attempt an escape, can I?" Ji Li smiled, and it was at that moment that Prince Zuko knew this man was not to be trusted.

Zuko didn't like the looks the guards were giving Katara. He had seen those looks before, back at the Fire Palace. Men of his father's court gave those looks to the women of Ozai's harem. Zuko knew as soon as Katara was in a separate cell, she would lose something she could never get back.

"No," Zuko said before he had time to think.

"No?" Ji Li said, amused. "No what?"

"You're not putting us in separate cells," Zuko said. The prince could sense Katara giving him a confused look. Zuko was surprised at what he was saying himself.

"Really?" Ji Li asked, crossing his arms. "Why not?"

Zuko stood up poker straight, looking Ji Li in the eye. "I don't trust your men," the Fire Prince said, using the authoritative voice his uncle had taught him, in case he ever became Fire Lord. "Nor do I trust you. For all we know, you could be leading us to our deaths."

"I told you I am not going to kill either of you."

"That aside. I do not trust your men. I grew up in the Fire Lord's court. I recognize the looks your men are giving the girl, Katara," Zuko said.

Ji Li glared at the prince, who glared right back with even more intensity. Finally, Ji Li smirked.

"Very well. I shall move you two to a different cell. There will be plenty of water, food, and firewood, but get any ideas of escape out of your minds. This entire village, and the cells, is underneath the ground, rendering the evil art of Firebending rather useless. And there is no way for a weak Waterbender to escape from my cells, as the only water sources are in the cells themselves." Ji Li motioned to his guards. Three of them followed, while the other three bound Zuko and Katara. They led the two captives to a slightly smaller cell. This one had two jutting ledges not far from the ground and a small window, very high up the wall. (It was too high and too narrow to be of any escape help.) Zuko felt himself being roughly shoved into said cell, his broken arm burning in pain. The metal cell door slammed shut behind him, leaving him and Katara in semi-darkness.

Gingerly, the prince got up, his bonds coming loose easily. By the feeble light let in by the window, Prince Zuko went over to the pile of wood left by the guards and grabbed a few pieces. Setting them down, he lit them and sent a burst of warmth into the cold air surrounding him.

Katara looked at Zuko with a mix of gratitude for the fire and confusion over what he said to Ji Li on her face. Not being able to take it any longer, Katara burst out, "Why did you say that?"

Zuko turned to Katara. "You mean why did I tell him not to put us in separate cells?"

Katara nodded. "I thought you hate me." Zuko sighed.

"Those guards aren't firm believers in chastity. I could tell by the way they looked at you. My uncle told me to never let anyone those type of men look at out of my sight if I can help it." Katara's expression changed from confusion to utter terror.

"Thank you, again. You seem to be helping me a lot lately," Katara mused.

Yet again, Su came bursting into the cell. "Are you mad, Prince Zuko?" she whispered. "_No one _has ever argued with the leader of the Ends of Fate, not even me! And I'm his wife! He could have killed you right then and there!"

"Ends of Fate? What's that?" Katara asked. Su looked at Katara like she was an idiot.

"The Ends of Fate is the army my husband leads to destroy all Benders, like you and the prince," Su explained. "He calls it that because he believes it's his fate to bring about the fate of the Benders."

"Where do the Ends come into play?"

Su blushed. "In case you haven't noticed, all of the soldiers are the ends of society; you know, former convicts, drunks, thieves, and a couple of murderers…" Su trailed off.

"Murderers?" Katara gasped. Su nodded.

"Assassins, poison experts, and one or two stranglers. But they're nothing to worry about. Ke hasn't touched his stiletto in weeks!"

"I'm really glad you told them to keep us in the same cell, Prince Zuko," Katara muttered to the prince. Zuko just nodded, secretly glad as well. With his arm, he was virtually helpless when it came to fighting. Even a Waterbender would be a welcome defense, should it come down to it.

Su, not having heard this statement, went on. "I can assure you, your highness, Ji Li will be looking for a way to get you back. He doesn't like it when his orders are challenged or changed." She looked around. "And he goes and gives you two the best prison cell in the entire prison!"

Zuko looked at her. "Is any prison cell better than another?"

"This is the only one with a window, and it overlooks my flower garden," said Su simply. "Ji Li told me to come in here and drop off these." Su dropped two thin blankets and some bandages. "The bandages are for your arm. Too bad Waterbenders can't heal broken bones, huh?" she said, chuckling. With that, she left, leaving two very nonplussed teenagers in the cell.

* * *

Thank you for reveiwing, those who do! They seriously make my day. (And if you lived my school life, you'd know that my days can be really bad sometimes.)


	6. Dreams

Days later, Zuko was standing against the wall, Katara on his shoulders. "Do you see anything?" he muttered. "Your weight is starting to make my arm worse."

"All I see is a bunch of flowers," Katara called, carefully getting down off Zuko's shoulders. "Su was right. It's just her flower garden, tended by captive Earthbenders. I also saw some vegetables, for the cooks, I guess."

"Weren't there any vines growing under the opening?" Zuko asked.

"Yeah, but the blooms on it were thorny. I don't think they'd opened yet. Besides," she added, "I don't think you could squeeze through that hole." She glanced at the prince. Zuko knew she was right. Even with his armor (which had been stolen by the guards) gone, there was no way he could even fit his shoulders through, let alone the rest of him.

Zuko was thinking about this whole predicament as Katara looked at his broken arm. "Too bad your friend the Avatar's monster isn't here," he mused. "It could break down the wall."

"You know, Appa probably could do that," Katara agreed. "Though how a ten ton bison could fit into that tiny garden is beyond me." She finished wrapping his arm. It had gotten a bit better, but it still needed wrapping. "Your arm should be healed in about three weeks. You Firebenders have amazing healing times. Broken bones usually take six to eight weeks to fully heal, sometimes longer. Four weeks is a record."

"I'd rather my arm be healed now than wait for weeks. Are you sure you can't heal broken bones?" Katara gave Zuko a look. The Fire Prince sighed. The waiting was beginning to annoy him. Katara saw this.

"I could try, but I don't think it's going to work," she mused. "Get me the water bucket." Zuko did, careful not to spill a drop. He sat, waiting for Katara to unwrap his broken arm.

Katara let the water form a blue glove on her hand, gently pressing it to Zuko's bone. They both watched in amazement as the water seemed to surround the injured limb. It glowed for a brief second, then faded, the water falling back into the bucket. Zuko gingerly moved his arm.

"You healed it," he whispered. Katara was staring in shock at the prince's arm.

"They never taught me that!" she said, gently touching the once-broken arm. Zuko didn't feel anything except her touch.

"Didn't you tell me you were an autodidact?"

"What?"

"Didn't you tell me that you had taught yourself some bending moves before the North Pole?" Zuko asked. Katara nodded. "Looks like you just taught yourself something else."

Katara laughed. "Wait until Sokka hears about this. He is gonna be _so _mad! He broke a bone years ago and had to sit in our tent while I got to help Dad do everything. Of course, back then we didn't even know I could heal," she added.

"Hmph. Is your brother ever happy?" Zuko muttered. Katara rolled her eyes.

"I could say the same for you," she pointed out. "The only emotion I ever see you display is anger. That and indifference. Have you ever showed any emotion other than those two?"

Zuko looked away, his scarred side facing Katara. "Yes. But never again. Not if I can help it." Zuko stood up and went to the ledge he slept on. Lying down, he turned his back to Katara. He lay there the rest of the afternoon, feigning sleep whenever Katara tried to start a conversation.

It wasn't until evening that Zuko moved himself from his (for lack of a better word) bed. The cell was nearly pitch black, the only source of light the last few rays of sunlight sneaking in through the opening. Zuko sent a blast to the pile of wood from the previous fire and lit up the cell, just as night fell. The prince looked around for Katara.

She was standing underneath the opening, looking up. Zuko heard her whispering, so he quietly got closer to hear.

She was singing a lullaby that almost every child in the world knew, even Prince Zuko. The voice with which she sang it startled Zuko; he hadn't thought the girl could sing. He listened as Katara went through the lullaby.

"A dream is a wish your heart makes

When you're fast asleep.

In dreams, you lose your heartaches

Whatever you wish for, you keep.

Have faith in your dreams and someday.

Your rainbow will come smiling through.

No matter how your heart is grieving,

If you keep on believing

The dream that you wish will come true."

"That was beautiful," Zuko muttered quietly. Katara gasped and turned around.

"How long have you been standing there?" she demanded in a whisper.

"Just a few minutes," Zuko told her. He was amazed at how she looked in the moonlight coming in. Its light made her glow with an ethereal way. Given this and the voice he had just heard Katara sing in, Zuko could have sworn she was a spirit.

Katara blushed slightly. "My mother used to sing that lullaby, when I was younger and had bad dreams."

Zuko nodded. His mother, the only one other than Iroh who ever cared if he was alive or dead, had done the same. "Have you eaten?" Zuko asked.

Katara nodded.

"Then get some sleep." Katara looked about to protest, but decided that she was sleepy and went to bed. Zuko stayed up longer, staring into the fire.

_If a dream is a wish your heart makes, _he wondered, _then what is my heart wishing for with all these dreams of the girl?_

Zuko fell asleep, that question weighing on his mind.

* * *

Not sure if you would call this a semi-fluffly chapter or not. It's short compared to my last five, but hey, I had a bit of writer's block.

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar, or A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes. Nick owns Avatar and Disney owns the song. I'm not affilated with either of them, just a loyal, screaming fan. I do own The Ends of Fate and Su.


	7. Arena

Wow, three chapters in one day. I'm on a roll. Thank you, all of my reveiwers, for reveiwing my previous chapters. This is less than half the size of OOTW, and it almost has the same amounts of reveiws, which is good. And good is what I hope you guys call this next chapter.

* * *

Zuko was snapped from his slumber as the cell door banged open, scraping on the rocks. "I warned you, didn't I? I told you my husband would get you back!" Su's voice rang out.

"What?" Zuko mumbled, stumbling off the rock ledge. "What happened?"

"Look!" Su pointed to where Katara usually slept.

The Waterbender was missing.

Alarm rose in Zuko's chest. "Where have they taken her?" he demanded.

"To the arena. Ji Li told me he's forcing her to fight other Benders to the death. He'll do this every so often, but he never forces girls her age to fight. I don't think he forces females to fight period, and never to the death if he does," Su added. "And anyway, she's gonna lose. There's almost no supply of water in the arena."

Zuko was relieved that the guards hadn't done anything to her, but when Su told him about the arena's lack of water, he worried. "Don't you have any bending powers?"

Su scoffed. "I'm a half-breed. Besides, do you think Ji Li would have married me if I could bend?"

Zuko started pacing. "What time is it?"

"The full moon has just risen. Why?" Su asked.

"What Bender is Katara fighting first?"

"Firebenders. The only possible challengers are Firebenders. Ji Li enslaves Earthbenders and Waterbenders, and kills most Firebenders. But, like I said, he's getting back at you for refusing a separate cell and defending the girl's honor."

Zuko stopped pacing for a minute. "She's got a small advantage. Firebenders are considerably weaker at night, and it's a full moon. But I don't think she would kill anyone if she could help it." He turned to Su. "What happens if she refuses to fight?"

Su shrugged. "She, and the other Bender fighters, get killed. Burning for her, drowning for the others. Ji Li told me."

Zuko stared at Su with a look that clearly said, "And you _married _this man?" Su got the look and stared right back at the prince.

"Take me to the arena."

"Can't. Ji Li said that no one, especially you, is supposed be in the arena except his men," Su told him. "And I'm supposed to be there right about now. Good-bye." Su turned to go, a look of pure apology in her eyes.

Zuko was furious, though he didn't know why. He didn't even care for the girl, just wanted to use her for bait. Which was why he was pacing the cell, smoke emitting from his balled fist. But if Ji Li had her killed, then Zuko would never capture the Avatar, and never return home.

"Psst." Zuko looked up.

"Psst. On the other side of the door, you dimwit!" Zuko walked over to the cell door, which was mostly solid metal with a grid at the top. A voice was calling to him.

"Don't worry, I'm not a guard. I'm an Earthbender."

"How can I trust you?" Zuko asked. He felt a small earthquake, which no guard, no matter how big, could have caused on his own. "Fine. What do you want?"

The door swung open, revealing an Earth Kingdom man. "First, I'm getting the door open, which I seemed to have done already," he said. "The girl, the Waterbender, you know her?"

Zuko nodded. "Good," the man said. Zuko could see the marks of slavery on him, giving him the look of a forty-year-old man instead of one not much older than the prince himself. "My sister, Kiena, is Madam Su's personal servant. She told me that the leader of the Ends of Fate had taken a Water Tribe girl and was going to kill her. Oh, he says it's going to be a fight, but the first Bender against her is Kuzu, and he's undefeated. She'll be a roast Waterbender after two minutes. She told me where the keys are and said to release any Bender prisoner I could find. You're the only one."

"Why did your sister tell you to free me?" Zuko asked.

The man laughed. "You're the first to challenge Ji Li and not get sliced instantly. Everyone down in the compounds had heard about you and the girl."

"Why did Ji Li take Katara? I'm the one who challenged him, not her," Zuko said.

"In case you haven't noticed, you're well-built. He knows that you could take down almost every fighter and barely get scratched. He wants to hurt you, and he thinks the girl, what did you call her, Katara, is the way do to that."

Zuko snorted. "Wrong choice. I was capturing her when they captured us. I was going to use her to lure the Avatar to me." The man looked at Zuko.

"The Avatar is alive? Wait 'til Kiena hears this!" The man stopped. "If you're trying to get the Avatar, doesn't that mean you're Prince-?"

"Zuko, yes," the Fire Prince replied heatedly. He waited for the Earthbender to step away.

He didn't. Instead, he nodded and said, "I'm Kyru. Now, unless you want the girl to be murdered, follow me. I don't think a dead girl is good bait for anything but Flying Sharks." Kyru had a point, so Zuko followed, the bright lights of the prison hurting his eyes.

Zuko was amazed when Kyru led him to the main part of the underground village. It looked like a world fair with the colors of every Nation showing everywhere. "Amazing."

Kyru shrugged. "It is at first, but don't let the colors fool you. Every soldier you see is really nothing more than a cutthroat or a thief. Ji Li is a monster, as I can guess you already know. Now, the arena is over there." Kyru pointed to a big, walled space. "The girl should be up to fight in a few minutes, so I'd hurry, and fast. Several captive Earthbenders are there, smoothing out the arena. They won't be able to help you, as they've got thick metal chains on, chaining them to the walls."

"I won't need their help, nor do I want it," Zuko muttered. "Just tell me how to get past the guards."

"Can you climb walls?"

* * *

Zuko was crouched on the roof of Ji Li's pavilion. He silently thanked the spirits that the tunic and pants he had worn under his armor was black silk. The prince waited as Ji Li spoke.

"We have a special surprise tonight in the arena! A weak Waterbender is going to fight as many evil Firebenders as she can before she dies." (Zuko's blood boiled at the comment made about his element.) "Let's see how long she can last. Hin!"

The big, ugly guard that had been in the first room when Zuko woke up opened a small metal gate, allowing Katara to be shoved out by another solider. The men in the seats laughed as she fell down in the dirt. Zuko saw the Firebender she was to fight enter the arena and take up a battle stance. Katara got up and did the same.

A split second before Kuzu could throw anything at Katara, Zuko willed the lanterns to go out. They obeyed, plunging the whole arena into darkness. Zuko heard Ji Li order a guard to find more matches. The prince silently jumped down from the roof and landed on the empty seat next to it. Effortlessly, Zuko dodged anybody he might have run into and jumped into the arena without a single person aware of his presence. He could tell by the warm air he had landed near the Firebender. The prince slipped over to where Katara was standing. The Waterbender heard him.

"Prince Zuko?" she whispered. Zuko placed a hand over her mouth.

"Yes," he whispered back. "Is there anyway to get out of this arena, short of the way you came in?"

He felt Katara shake her head. He removed his hand"How'd you get in here?"

"Not now. Just follow me." He took Katara's hand and led her back the way he came. Everything was good until the guard came back with the matches and lit the lanterns. Light flooded the arena.

Zuko swore as the guards noticed them. "On my word, run for the wall and climb down the rope hanging over the side. Got it?" Katara nodded. "Now!"

The girl made a mad dash for the rope, water whipping the guards that tried to stop her. Zuko watched as she climbed down the rope. Turning around, Zuko blasted the oncoming guards and followed Katara's path. He was gone before anything else could be done.

Zuko jumped down from the rope. "Prince Zuko, over here!" Katara was motioning him over to where she was standing. Next to her was the man that had helped Zuko out of the cell, Kyru.

"Kiena said to take you two back to the compounds. You'd be an idiot to go back to the cells," Kyru told Zuko.

"That Ji Li is not a dimwitted fool. He'll know we are at that compound," Zuko whispered hurriedly.

"No he won't. Another Waterbender and a Firebender are there right now, leaving a false trail. Ji Li will be thinking you two made it out into woods when you're really still here, under his nose."

Zuko looked doubtful. "We can discuss this later," Katara said. "Right now, we need to make ourselves scarce." Zuko nodded and followed Kyru to the compound.

The compound was a closed off space, surrounded by metal walls fifty yards high. Kyru went up to these walls, tapped twice on a certain spot, and was let in. He motioned for Zuko and Katara to follow, which they did.

A woman with a cheerful, work-lined face, greeted her brother and the two teens. "Thank the Spirits you're all right. Mother must be turning in her grave at the risk you took Kyru. Are these the two Benders?"

"I'm Katara of the Water Tribe," the girl said. "This is Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation. Thank you for helping us."

The woman, Kiena, nodded, giving Zuko a wary look. "It was no problem. Why did Ji Li capture you two? Madam Su hasn't said yet, and I don't think she will."

Katara shrugged. "No clue. I don't remember doing anything to him."

"He wants you two fer yer connections," a voice said from the corner.

Kyru turned to the old man. "What?"

The man hobbled closer. "Th' Prince is related to General Iroh. It were Iroh's troops what killed Ji Li's parents. Everyone knows that th' general would do almost anythin' to help the Prince if he could. Th' girl was travelin' with the Avatar." The old man snorted. "Ol' Ji Li wants 'im so he kin convince all the Benders of the world to surrender to 'im. Then he'll say that his destiny is fulfilled an' kill 'em all."

"Who told you that, Chon?" Kyru asked skeptically. Katara had backed away from the old man.

"No one tells ol' Chon anythin'. He just knows." With that, the man hobbled back to his corner and fell asleep. Kyru rolled his eyes.

"Don't believe him. Chon lost his mind a few decades ago."

"Kyru!" Kiena admonished. "Chon is not crazy. Eccentric, maybe, but not crazy."

Kyru snorted. "He's more than a few teacups short of the full set, sis. Now, where are we going to hide the Prince and the girl?"

Kiena jerked her thumb over her shoulder to a small hovel. It was like one of many in the compound, small, dirty, and surrounding a central fire. "There's room for two more in the hovel. Besides, Madam Su is thinking about moving her personal servants to rooms closer to her, so I'll be gone before too long." Zuko remembered that Kyru told him his sister was Su's personal servant.

"But won't the guards notice us?" Katara asked. Kyru shook his head as he lead the two teens to the hovel.

"They work us in shifts, so there will always be people around. Plus, the guards are too stupid to do anything but stand around looking tough." Kyru held back the piece of cloth that acted as the door to the hovel.

From the outside, it didn't look like much. But on the inside, Zuko could see that Kyru and his sister had worked hard to make the hovel comfortable. There were two pallets in the hovel, with a small closed off section. Pieces of cloth laid on the floor in attempts to make a rug. "There's two more mats on the other side of the cloth," Kiena told Katara. "You and the Prince can take those two. Good night."

Zuko suddenly realized how tired he was. Holding back a yawn, Zuko followed Katara to the closed off section of the hovel. The exhausted prince collapsed on the mat, sound asleep in two minutes.

* * *

I needed some action in my fic, so here is the first majorly important action-y scene. I have to thank don'tbreakme, who gave me the idea for Ji Li getting Katara. I was having action writer's block something awful. 


	8. Haircut

Zuko woke up the next morning, sorer than he had ever been in his sixteen, almost seventeen, years. Painfully, he remembered the events of the previous night and why he was in this hovel, on the floor, next to the girl.

The girl. Zuko looked over at Katara, who was still sound asleep. Her face was twisted in a frown, and the prince guessed she was having a bad dream. Zuko shook his head and left the closed off section of the hovel.

Kyru was there, though where Kiena had gone Zuko didn't know. "I wouldn't go outside right now, your highness," Kyru said. "The guards will be here soon to take the morning shift workers and they'll notice you."

Zuko nodded, sitting down on the pallet Kiena had vacated. "What shift do you work?"

Kyru laughed. "Whenever they need me." Noticing Zuko's confused look, he added, "Whenever they need someone to go to a surface market, they chose me. Ji Li can't really send any of his men and he doesn't trust Su to keep her overactive mouth shut, so he chose me. I was born in the town nearby, so the marketplace is familiar and the people of the town recognize me. They don't question my comings and goings, and they're a curious lot, let me tell you." Kyru seemed to go back to a time, a time when he wasn't some pathetic psychopath's prisoner. When he could walk along the roads of his hometown freely, and not on someone else's orders. Zuko felt sorry for this man, and his sister, who had risked a lot to help him and Katara.

Kyru soon snapped out of it. Turning to Zuko, he exclaimed, "No matter how many Firebenders I know, it still amazes me that they can stay up all night and _still _get up at the crack of dawn! Madam Su woke you up at midnight, you scaled the arena walls, saved your girlfriend, and ran from the guards, yet you are awake at this hour!"

"Katara is not my girlfriend. She's not even a friend," Zuko said.

"Yet you still end up saving and helping me a lot, Prince Zuko," Katara said, yawning. "I owe you my life three times over. And that's counting in the fact you tried to kidnap me." Her hair was in a tangle, her braid long having fallen out. "You wouldn't happen to have a hairbrush, would you?" she asked Kyru.

The Earthbender shook his head. "Out of all the Benders in this compound, only my sister and two others have access to beauty products, and that's because they're Madam Su's personal servants," he said. "And you'd have to use oil to get those knots out of your hair, which no one ever has. Your best bet would be a knife, Katara."

A look of sadness crossed Katara's face. Zuko had heard that Water Tribe girls never cut their hair unless someone close to them died. Katara must be remembering the last time she had cut her hair. "Is my hair really that bad?"

"Well, the hair in the bun isn't so tangled, but the rest is…" Kyru trailed off. Katara took the ends of her hair and looked at them. Indecision flickered in her sapphire blue eyes, debating whether or not to cut her hair. Finally, she looked at Kyru.

"Do you _have _a knife?" The Earthbender pulled one from underneath his pallet and handed it hilt first to Katara. Suddenly, he perked up.

"That's the horn, calling for the morning shift. I need to go see if they'll need me today." Kyru left the hovel, leaving Katara with Zuko. Soon after, Katara took out her bun and prepared to cut off the ends of her hair.

"Wait," Zuko said. "Let me do it. You might cut yourself." Katara gave Zuko a look that clearly said she'd rather be coated with honey and stuck in a hive of Scorpion Bees than trust him with a knife. "I won't hurt you," Zuko smirked. "Trust me."

Katara was still wary, though she gave Zuko the knife. Zuko took Katara's hair in his hands and with one quick slice, the tangled mats of hair fell to the floor.

Katara had tears in her eyes as she picked up her severed tresses. Her hand went to her mother's necklace. Zuko watched as the girl muttered something under her breath, picked up the hair, and went back behind the curtain separating her and Zuko's mats.

Kyru returned not long afterwards. Sighing, he sat down on his pallet. Zuko handed him his knife back, which he took and hid.

"Ji Li is the son of a motherless goat," Kyru said. "He knows that you and Katara didn't escape out into the woods surrounding the exit. He's checking everywhere for you two."

"What will happen when he checks the compound," Zuko asked.

Kyru shivered. "Nothing good. We're talking burnings, drownings, and mass poisonings. Maybe even starvation."

Zuko nodded. "We can't stay here. It would be horrible if you or your sister died hiding Katara and me."

Kyru shook his head. "I don't think Ji Li will suspect that you're in this compound. He'll be focusing on the other one."

"There's more than one compound?"

"Yes. This one is primarily Waterbenders and Firebenders," Kyru said. "Most of the Earthbenders are in another compound, with, rumors have it, a very few Airbenders. But who believes those rumors?"

Zuko brought Kyru back to the matter at hand. "You say that this is mostly Firebenders?"

Kyru nodded. "Firebenders and Waterbenders. Ji Li is no dummy. He'll assume you two knew he would find you in this compound and hid in the other. By the time he realizes he's wrong, it will have been plenty of time for you two to escape. And the closer you are to danger-"

"The safer we'll be, which is why Katara and I will be in the compound after that time," Zuko finished, remembering a tactic taught to him by his uncle. The logic made sense, so Zuko agreed to stay in the compound until a suitable escape plan could be thought of.

* * *

"Kiena should be back soon. Su always has dinner with Ji Li and sends her personal servants home for dinner," Kyru was saying hours later. "That's when Kiena's shift ends. She spends her morning in the flower gardens, tending Su's flowers, then from lunch until dinner she's plays the part of the personal servant, gathering gossip and news."

Zuko nodded, meditating. Katara was still behind the curtain, sleeping more than likely. She was behind the curtain when Kiena arrived, bruise marks on her face. Kyru was instantly worried.

"What happened?"

Kiena winced as she touched the bruises. "Ji Li was furious today, which is only to be expected. I mean, Prince Zuko and Katara got away from him last night. Well, while I was in the garden he came up and slapped me. Told me that it was my fault the roses, Su's favorites, aren't blooming yet, even though he knows full well that the breed of roses won't bloom until the Summer Solstice, being Fire Nation flowers and all."

Zuko looked at Kiena. "Our flowers bloom at the same time yours do."

"Oh, in the Land of Fire maybe," Kiena said. "But here they don't. Anyway, when Su heard what Ji Li did, she waltzed right up to him and made a comment how anyone in her service was entitled to hit him if he ever hit one of us again." Kiena smiled. "That gave me no end of pleasure. And I think Madam Su knows something."

"What?" Kyru exclaimed. "How?"

Kiena shrugged. "No clue. She made a comment about how she'd hoped to tell the prince and Katara something before they left and if anyone knew where they'd gone they could tell them for her. I said nothing, of course, in case it was a trick." Kiena winced as she accidentally hit her bruised chin.

"Let me heal those bruises, Kiena." Katara came out from behind the curtain, her eyes red. Zuko had to gasp as he took in the way the Waterbender looked with shortened hair. He wouldn't have been able to recognize her if she hadn't been wearing the necklace. No one else seemed to notice, except Kyru, who made a comment.

"You look like a totally different person. I don't think even Ji Li could recognize you now, unless he got a good look at that necklace." He handed Katara a canteen of water. "Will this be enough?"

Katara opened the canteen and nodded. "They're just bruises, so it won't take much to heal." She bended the water into a glove and placed her hand on Kiena's face, the bruises vanishing instantaneously.

"Thanks. That feels much better," Kiena said, touching her face. "Oh, I think it'll be safe for you and the prince to come outside. The guards are all in the guardhouse, drinking and gambling. It's Ju Lin on the walls tonight, and he's as blind as a bat."

"How long have you been here?" Katara asked. Zuko was wondering the same thing, but didn't want to ask. He knew they had to have been there for several years to know what they knew.

Kiena shrugged. "About thirteen years, since we were seven. Our parents were killed by Ji Li." Katara had look of shock on her face.

"Thirteen years?" Kyru nodded.

"At least our childhood was free. It's more than I can say for the poor Bending children born here. Ji Li waits until they're about five, then he sticks them into a huge cell with the other children until they turn thirteen, at which time he returns them to the compound. Most are lucky to turn thirteen. The cell is filthy and crawling with vermin. And the less said about the stench, the better. Now, do you want dinner or not?" Kyru said, heading out the door. Katara and Zuko followed him out.

There was a big fire going just outside of the hovel. About ten others were sitting around it, including Chon, the man that had explained why Ji Li wanted Katara and Zuko so bad. In the light, Zuko could see that he was from the Earth Kingdom, with grizzled hair. He looked like he had once been a great fighter, but was reduced to skin and bones through years of enslavement. The prince had to restrain the fire that wanted escape from his fingertips. _How could a man do this to innocent people?_ he thought.

_The same way your father does it. With cruelty, fury, and malice, _his conscience said. Zuko ignored it, as he had the past two years, and followed Kyru and Kiena, the latter talking avidly to Katara about the advantages and disadvantages of the different Bending styles.

When they approached the fire, everyone stopped talking to look. Zuko heard the Firebenders muttering and saw them pointing at his scar.

"That's Prince Zuko!"

"No duh! How'd he get here?"

"And with a Waterbender, no less!"

"…general must be worried…"

"…wonder if he knows?"

Katara whispered, "Think they recognize you?"

"I'm hard to forget," Zuko muttered. "You seem to be getting a lot of attention yourself."

He was right. Almost every young Waterbender male was looking at Katara, even the ones with sweethearts. (You could tell who they were by the slaps.) Katara blushed when she noticed this. "Ignore them," the prince advised. "They want you to look at them. And unless you want flatters who can't keep their mouth shut, I'd ignore them."

"How do you know this?"

"I did the same thing at their age," the prince admitted. "And my sister had, and probably has, many." Katara looked about to ask what sister but Kyru interrupted them, addressing the crowd. Or, more accurately, reprimanding them.

"Stop staring. You look like a bunch of Owl Toads with your eyes bugging out." That remark brought about a bunch of others, most of them about how Kyru looked. Kiena shook her head as she handed the two teens a bowl of something hot apiece as motioned them to sit down.

"Forgive them. The story of last night and why Ji Li took Katara got around, thanks to Li Se and Si Le."

"Who?" Katara asked.

"I'm Li Se," a voice next to them said. "Si Le is my sister." Katara and Zuko turned to face a young Firebender with hair like Meng's. Li Se pointed to a girl, who looked the exact opposite of her, with the exception of the hair color. This girl nodded when Li Se said her name. It was then that Zuko noticed that everyone, no matter what they bended, was wearing a tunic of coarse linen with matching pants. The only way you could tell what Bender type they were was by the colored belts around their waist. Zuko looked down at the clothes he and Katara were wearing. Despite the bedraggled appearance, both outfits would clearly stand out. He tapped Kyru on the shoulder.

"I think Katara and I will need some different clothing," he said, gesturing to the silk outfit he was wearing. Kyru nodded.

"Good point. Si Le!" he called. "Do you know where some extra clothes are?" Si Le nodded and got up to get them. Kyru smiled. "You can always trust Si Le to know where everything and everyone is," he said proudly. "Just like you know Li Se will know something she shouldn't, and is willing to tell almost anyone. Never the guards, but watch out otherwise. Once she gets into her stride, nothing short of a natural disaster will stop her."

Katara, who had overheard that, laughed. "Reminds me of one of my Gran-Gran's friends back in the village. And her granddaughter. They could yak the ear of a Horned Yak, as my father said, once they got going."

Si Le soon returned with two outfits identical to the others and two belts, one red, one blue. "Lucky for you the laundry owed me a favor," she said, handing them to Kyru. "I think they're even the right size. It wasn't easy finding the prince's. He's, what, six feet and well-built?"

Zuko blushed slightly as he took the outfits and handed one to Katara. She took it, along handkerchief Si Le handed her. "You'll blend in slightly better with your hair covered," Si Le explained, pointing out that all the girls and women had their head covered. "There's not much, short of a constant hood, that would help hide you better, Prince Zuko. That scar is a dead giveaway." The prince nodded silently. That was just another price he had to pay for speaking out of turn.

Suddenly, a horn blew out. Everyone set their bowls down, said good-bye to their friends, and went into their hovel. "That would be the signal to go back," Kiena muttered. "There's not one to tell us when to sleep, but if you fall asleep while you're working, it's a nightmare. C'mon." She led Zuko and Katara back to the hovel, Kyru following behind.

Katara collapsed on her pallet instantly, the events of the day taking their toll on her. She was asleep before she hit the pillows, Zuko not far behind her. The whole compound was soon an oasis of peace, in a war-torn world.


	9. Comfort

Whoa, this is really getting popular! Thanks to all of my reveiwers. I would have long given this up if it wasn't for you lot. If only you guys would come to my school and convince all of them that I'm not a total loser. :)

* * *

Zuko woke up later that night, jolted awake by some unknown force. Sitting up, Zuko looked around. Everyone was sleeping peacefully, if Kyru's snores were anything to go by.

Everyone, that is, except for Katara.

The Waterbender's face twisted into a mask of pain, Katara's breathes came in short gasps as she grasped the edge of her tunic. Her newly shorn hair was damp with sweat. "Sokka? Mama? Dad? No, where are they? Let…let me go!" Katara thrashed about, nearly tearing the sheet hanging up.

_She's having a nightmare, and a bad one, _thought Zuko. He had gotten them when he was younger, though not anymore. What had his mother, and then his uncle, done when he had nightmares? Woke him up and gave him some tea, Iroh's cure all.

Zuko reached over and shook Katara, to which she made no response, except to groan a bit. "Katara, wake up," the prince whispered. Katara's expression changed to one of fear.

"Go…go away," she murmured. Zuko shook her harder.

"Katara!" Katara sat up with a jolt. She looked around wildly, then relaxed as she realized that Zuko had woken her up.

"Oh, Zuko! It's only you. There…there was blood. And fire. And millions of people dying." The poor girl just collapsed in tears.

Zuko had never been one to comfort others but the sight of Katara, crying like that, sent a pang of sympathy through him. Out of instinct, Zuko reached out and touched Katara's hand.

Katara looked up at Zuko. "I felt, I felt like _I _was one of the people. It was so vivid, so real. I didn't know what I'd done, but I felt like the whole mess was my fault."

"It was just a dream, Katara," Zuko murmured. "It was just a dream." The distraught Waterbender fell against the Fire Prince. Not knowing what else to do or say, the prince just repeated what he had said in attempts to comfort the weeping girl. Soon, Katara drifted to sleep.

Zuko laid her on her mat, careful not to wake Katara. The prince brushed a few strands of Katara's hair out of her face as he laid her down. He felt a shiver run up his spine, for reasons he didn't understand, and didn't want to at the moment. He sighed and lay back down, falling asleep in minutes.

* * *

Zuko woke up at, yes, the crack of dawn. He found that Kyru had woken up and left earlier, probably to do Ji Li's "grocery shopping", as Kiena put it. The Earthbender clearly thought her brother could do better.

"Why, if you and Kyru are Earthbenders, don't you and the other Benders team up against Ji Li?" Zuko asked after he heard Kiena muttered something about Ji Li being a lazy ass.

Kiena snorted. "Ji Li thought we'd do that, which is why he sticks Benders with completely opposite bending powers in a compound."

"And which is where I've been." The prince and Kiena turned to see Kyru standing in the doorway of the hovel.

"Kyru," Kiena said suspiciously, "what have you been doing?"

The twenty-year-old Earthbender smirked. "I just told you, did I not? I stopped by the other compound coming back from Qigong. Apparently, Ji Li has ditched the 'Firebenders and Waterbenders in one compound, Earthbenders in the other' tactic, because I saw about ten Firebenders and twenty Waterbenders," Kyru added. "Anyway, there's this Earthbender in the other compound who's been helping me whenever Ji Li has a big order to fill. We've been planning an escape plan for the past six months." Kyru ducked as Kiena bended a rock at her brother's head.

"You never told me?" Kiena asked, disbelieving. "You kept a secret from me for six months and you never cracked?"

Kyru smiled proudly. "Nope. Wasn't even tempted to tell you. We don't have it all planned out, so no one knows, and it's going to stay that way." He gave Kiena a severe look. Zuko assumed she was a bad gossip at times.

"We're just waiting for the right time to put the you-know-what into action," Kyru said. "And so far, nothing looks like a chance might pop up soon. But when it does, trust me, all hell will break loose."

Katara woke up soon after Kyru's return, dressed in the outfit given to her last night, her hair tied back. Kiena smiled. "You look for all the world like one of us."

_Yes. One of them,_ Zuko thought as Katara thanked Kiena. _One of them._

Breakfast was very much like dinner, with the stares and the slaps, until Zuko muttered something to Kyru, loud enough for people to hear, that if they didn't stop staring, he would blast some heads. Everyone then quickly returned to his or her previous conversations.

Suddenly, Kiena whispered to Zuko, "Take Katara and hide in the hovel!"

"Why?" Zuko asked, confused, as everyone was getting up and standing poker straight.

"Madam Su! I keep forgetting that she stops at the compounds every other day. And guess what day it is?" Kiena muttered. "Hurry!"

Zuko nodded to Katara, who followed him to the hovel, but not before snagging enough breakfast for the two of them.

Katara sat down on her pallet. "I feel like a Sucker Snake is sucking out my energy."

"That's explainable. You were having a horrible nightmare," Zuko reminded her. "I had to wake you up or this hovel might have collapsed from your thrashing. It's only natural that you feel exhausted."

Katara nodded. "Thanks for waking me up. I don't think I could have stirred myself. That nightmare was horribly vivid." Suddenly, Katara froze, memories from the dream coming back to her. She started trembling.

Zuko laid his hand on her shoulder, which seemed to calm Katara. "Sorry, I guess I shouldn't talk about it," the girl whispered.

Thinking of what his uncle had done every time he had a nightmare, Zuko said gently, "It's alright."

"No, it's not. I haven't had a bad dream like that since I was a little girl," Katara said. "I'm fourteen! I should be past those by now."

Zuko remembered faintly the last time he had a nightmare, he had been ten. He had told his uncle the same thing, only with more resentment and his sister snickering in the background. However, before he could say anything to Katara, the Waterbender collapsed into a fit of tears, landing in the Fire Prince's arms for the second time that day.

Once again, Zuko was at a lost. He was a warrior, son of the Fire Lord. He was not a people person. He had just gotten used to realizing that other people's safety outweighed his own needs and wants. Dealing with distraught young women was best left to those who could handle it, like Uncle Iroh. He was qualified for these situations; the Fire Prince Zuko was not.

Suddenly, voices neared the hovel. Katara hushed as a voice both teens recognized rang out.

"So this is where you and your brother live, Kiena?" Su asked, rather loudly.

"Um, yes, Madam," Kiena said. Silently, Zuko thanked the spirits he had pulled the small curtain shut because the hovel's door was still open and Su was standing outside it.

"Hmm, you've made it look rather nice, given your resources," Su muttered. "Are you sure that Prince Zuko and the girl Katara have not been seen around here?" Zuko held his breath.

Kyru's voice replied. "No, Madam. We have not seen them, nor has anyone else. But if we do, we will tell you."

"One of the guards said they saw Prince Zuko here, though."

"He must have been mistaken. Perhaps he was drunk?"

Su chuckled. "Probably. Ky Lel is rarely sober. Very well. I'll see you this afternoon, Kiena."

Ten minutes after Su left, Kyru slipped into the hovel. "Katara? Zuko?"

"Yes?" Zuko whispered.

"I think it would be best if you two stayed in here for awhile. We can't risk anyone seeing you again. I'll slip food in here at mealtimes."

"Fine," Zuko replied.

"Good. Apparently, Su wants me to run an errand. I'll be back later." Kyru left the hovel.

Katara extracted herself from Zuko. "From one prison to another," she muttered.


	10. Talk

I've had some questions about Sokka, Aang, and Iroh. Remember, this is from Zuko POV, so they aren't seen unless he sees them.

* * *

"Prison" just about summed up how Zuko felt about the hovel. It was getting rather tiresome, that hovel. Zuko compared it to the time he had been sentenced to a month in his room. The only difference was that Katara was also stuck here with him. And that was a big difference.

Katara, unlike Zuko, was not content to sit around and do virtually nothing. She talked. A lot. Even when it was obvious Zuko was not listening, Katara would talk. Usually about her brother and the Avatar, but sometimes about what she would do to Ji Li if she could get her hands on him. (Silently, Zuko concurred with some of her ideas, though he would never admit it.) One day, a week after Su's appearance, Katara's talking got on the prince's nerves.

She was saying something about it being about three weeks since Zuko had gotten her into this mess and how she hoped that Aang (who Zuko gathered was the Avatar) was learning Earthbending and Firebending. Finally, Zuko, careful to control his temper, muttered, "Do you ever shut up?"

"I'm not usually this talkative, but I'm bored. I talk when I'm bored," Katara said. "It's not natural for me to be cooped up like this!" Katara waved her hand around the hovel.

"It's not natural for anyone to be cooped up like this, Katara," Zuko replied. "But sometimes, as Uncle Iroh put it, 'life puts us in predicaments that we'd give our life to get out of'."

Katara laughed. "Well, maybe not my life, but I would definitely give almost anything to get outta here."

"Like what?"

"My mother's necklace," Katara said after a few minutes debate. "It's the only thing I can remember with, but if it would get me out of here, I'd trade it in a heartbeat." Katara looked at Zuko. "What about you?"

"I have nothing of value, sentimental or otherwise, at this moment," came the reply.

"Nothing?"

"Nothing," Zuko confirmed. "Only the tunic and pants I had under my armor, and my armor, if the guards have not already ruined it." The prince cringed at the thought of his armor being shared out among the guards. "I don't think anyone here has much use of silk, anyway."

Katara smiled. "Don't think so. It looks like linen and cotton is the fabric of choice here." She absently fixed the kerchief around her head. "I hope my hair grows back soon. I hate having it short."

Zuko shrugged and began to meditate. That didn't last long.

"How on Earth can you sit there and meditate nonstop?" Katara asked.

"Firebenders always meditate," Zuko said. A smile tugged at his lips. "And I have nothing better to do."

Katara sighed. "You could try being more sociable. Frankly, you're dull company."

"I'm sorry for that, but I wasn't the one in my family who practiced that sort of thing," Zuko said coldly. "My sister was."

"Sister?"

"_Sisters_, actually. Zula had a twin sister, Okia, but she died in a fever that swept the Fire Nation about three years ago."

"I remember that," Katara said. "Half my village was wiped out."

"It was horrible," Zuko said, quieter. "Firebenders rarely ever get fevers, due to our high body temperature. When we do get them, they're usually only minor ones and they go away after a few days and many herbal teas. The one that ravaged the Fire Nation was…devastating, to say the least."

"Do you miss her? Your sister, the one that died, I mean," Katara asked. The prince snorted.

"No. Okia was just like Zula. Mean, heartless, and a master at whatever she attempts. She wasn't a Bender, like Zula, so she mastered other arts," Zuko said, his voice laden with scorn and a hint of jealousy.

"Is Zula younger or older?"

"Why do you want to know?" asked Zuko. "It's no concern of yours."

Katara gave Zuko a look. "I have a feeling that we'll be stuck together for quite some time, even after we get out of here. If I'm going to be stuck anywhere with you, I'm going to need to understand you better."

_Understand? _The thought made Zuko think. No one, save his uncle, had ever tried, or showed interest in attempting, to understand him. They all assumed that he was a moody, exiled prince whose obsession with the Avatar was more important than obeying the laws to him.

"Very well. My sister Zula is a prodigy. Everyone likes her and hates me. She's a Master Firebender and has been one for five years. She's fifteen."

Katara looked at Zuko open-mouthed. "_Fifteen? _She became a Master at ten?"

"Yes. My father swears she already knew some moves when she was born. He adores her." Zuko then pressed his lips together in a firm line. He was going to say nothing more to Katara.

That was not going to work. The Waterbender was stubborn and unrelenting. "What about that man, the one Zhao called General Iroh? I've seen him before, with you, but that's all I know."

"He is my uncle, my father's brother," Zuko said. "When I…when I left the Fire Nation, he came with me, saying someone had to be there in case I blew my temper and needed someone to get me out of trouble."

"He tried to stop Zhao from killing the Moon Spirit, which was a bit odd. I thought all the Firebenders were eager to kill off the moon," Katara said.

"My uncle is not a normal person, by anyone's standards. He stopped my ship at a port to find a lotus tile, which he discovered was in his sleeve the whole time."

Katara laughed. "That was the time you teamed up with the pirates after I stole the Waterbending Scroll, wasn't it?"

The prince nodded. "Yes, and a complete waste of time in my opinion. I would have captured your friend the Avatar if it hadn't been for your loudmouthed brother."

"Sokka is loudmouthy sometimes," Katara admitted. "But, he's my brother, so I learned to deal with it."

"Hmph." Zuko clearly thought it was impossible for anyone to get used to Katara's brother.

"You're not exactly easy to live with yourself, Prince Zuko," Katara pointed out. "I have never met someone so moody, so hot-tempered, so _driven _in my entire lifetime. And trust me, living with Sokka has given me plenty of experience with moody teenaged boys."

Moody? Hot-tempered? Driven? Was that what she thought of him? Is that all anyone thought of him? _Well, you've done nothing to discourage those thoughts, _nagged his conscience. _Try showing her that you're not some nutcase after her friend._

_How? How can I do that and not show weakness?_

_You idiot! She's a Waterbender! She won't think you're weak!_

Zuko hated it when his conscience was right; it just became more annoying. "I'm not just a 'moody, hot-tempered, driven' person, Katara," Zuko said.

"I've yet to see a different side of you," she pointed out. "All I've seen is an unfeeling teen prince with temper issues after my best friend."

"If I was, as you say, unfeeling, would I have woken you up when you had that nightmare a week ago?" asked Zuko. "Would I have been careful not to cut you when you had to cut your hair? Would I have caught you when you fell after seeing those bones back in the cell? Would I have saved you from that fight?"

Katara, for once, was speechless. Everything Zuko had said _did _point in the opposite direction from unfeeling. If anything, it pointed to…caring.

Before anything else could be said, they heard Kyru and Kiena return. "What's Kiena doing back already?" Katara asked as she went to the other side of the curtain.

Kiena's normally tan skin was pale. "It's a fever," Kyru said. "Some recently captured Earthbenders brought it with them. I saw Kiena, clutching onto the vines for dear life and told Madam Su. She gave me permission to bring her back here. Can Waterbenders heal fevers?"

"If I was more advanced in healing, probably," Katara said. "But I can't. Aren't there any other Waterbender Healers?"

Kyru shook his head. "They all died from old age and overwork." Kiena collapsed onto her pallet, sweating. Zuko took a good look at her.

"I recognize her symptoms. It's…" The prince looked at Katara, who gasped.

"Not…?"

"Yes. It's the Huzon Fever. The fever that wiped out a third of the world's population."


	11. Sickness

Soon, word spread that the Huzon Fever had broken out after lying dormant for three years. Guards found excuses to leave the compounds for fear of contracting it. Benders who hadn't got it suddenly thought they had. Word came from Ji Li that all work was to be halted until this fever had gone. Rumors were circulating that Ji Li himself had gotten it.

Even though Katara couldn't cure fevers, she had an unrivaled knowledge of healing herbs, even ones native to the Fire Nation. Whenever anyone came down with the fever, she was called for. Usually, she had to improvise the herbs, but Kyru could occasionally get the right herbs on his trips to the town.

"Katara!" A voice called from outside the hovel. The Waterbender, who had been ready to settle in, sighed as she got up.

"Yes?" A distraught Li Se was at the entrance.

"It's Si Le! She got that stupid fever! Can you help her?" Li Se was in sobs.

Katara patted Li Se's shoulder. "I'll try. How long ago did she show signs of it?"

"Ten minutes ago. She was turning paler and nearly passed out. That's when I came to get you." Katara nodded and grabbed the herbal satchel Kyru had made.

Zuko, who had been sitting by, got up. "Katara, you've been healing people all day," he said. "Even a Firebenders can't do that all day and night."

"I'm fine, Zuko." As she left, Zuko laid a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm coming with you. If you faint, someone has to carry you back." Katara saw that arguing would be useless and consented.

Si Le was on her pallet, sweat pouring from her pores. In the feeble candlelight, she looked simply horrible. A basin of water sat next to her. "Zuko, could you heat that basin up? I need hot water for this," Katara asked, kneeling by the sick Firebender. The Fire Prince did as she asked, handing to her when it was hot.

Katara placed some of the herbs from her satchel into the steaming basin almost automatically. Zuko assumed she had done this enough times that it was just habit. The prince watched as Katara stirred this mixture of water and herbs into a paste or a soup, Zuko couldn't tell.

"Si Le, I need you to sit up," Katara said gently. Si Le didn't respond. "Li, can you help your sister sit up? I need to either get her to drink this or force it down her throat." Li, still crying, sat her twin sister up so Katara could get the concoction down Si Le's throat.

No sooner did Katara get the basin's contents down the sick girl's throat did Si Le attempt to cough it back up. "She's rejecting the mix," Katara said. "Not that I can blame her; it's mostly bitter herbs. But she needs to take this or there is very little chance she'll make a full recovery."

"Try massaging her throat. That's what my uncle did when I would refuse my medicine when I was sick," Zuko suggested. Katara gave Zuko a grateful look. She handed the basin to Li Se. Careful not to hurt her, Katara gently sent the concoction down Si Le's esophagus. The girl instantly calmed down and seemed a bit more responsive.

"Si Le?" Li Se asked, nervous. Her twin nodded in response. Everyone, even Zuko let out a deep breath they all had been holding.

"You need to sleep, Si. Fevers are no fun," Katara said. Si Le nodded again and laid down, asleep before her head hit the pillow.

Li Se was thanking Katara and Zuko all the way to the door. When they finally got there, Li Se dashed off back to her sister, leaving one tired Waterbender with the Fire Prince.

Katara was nearly dead on her feet. "I warned you," Zuko whispered, careful not to draw attention to them in case a guard was patrolling.

Katara smiled weakly as the two started off back to the hovel. "Hey, I helped Si Le. I'm fine." Just then, Katara fell.

Zuko stood over her, arms crossed. "Aren't you glad I came with you?" he whispered as he helped the poor Waterbender up. "I told you that you'd faint."

"Hey, I'm still conscious, so I haven't fainted yet," Katara retorted. She tried to walk but fell down again. "Oh, I'm so tired I can't even walk," she admitted. "Whoa!"

Zuko had picked her up. "See? I knew you'd need my help."

Katara laughed quietly. "Oh, hush. I would have been fine without you, you know."

"Hmm, really? You'd be stuck outside until morning if you fell without me here," Zuko pointed out. The two were arguing all the way back to the hovel.

When they got there, they were surprised to find Kyru waiting for them. Zuko gently let Katara down. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Kiena! She looked fine when you guys left, but suddenly she doesn't recognize me!" Kyru said. "Is this normal?"

Katara went in and looked at Kiena. "Her fever's spiked," she concluded. "And the only thing left in my satchel is lavender. If I don't get this fever down now, she'll die."

Of course, it was the final fever. Zuko remembered it well. After the fever came complete calm, then a deep sleep from which the victim never awakes. "What herb do you need to get the fever down?" Kyru asked.

"No clue."

"Wait," Zuko said. "I think the healers in my father's courts used rosehips from the Fire Rose. They made them into a tea."

"Fire Rose? Wouldn't the Ice Lily be better for a fever?" Katara questioned.

Zuko shrugged. "That's what the healers in the Fire Nation used. It saved a lot of people." There was sound, like someone scuffling, outside. Kyru tensed and motioned for Katara and Zuko to wait there. He left the hovel, returning with…

"Rosehips?" Katara asked.

"Fire Rosehips," Kyru said. "Whoever was listening to our conversation had these on them, I suppose." He handed them to Katara.

"Is there any water left?"

Kyru nodded. "Good. I need some heated up. Prince Zuko?"

The Fire Prince nodded and heated a basin full of water again. As he did, Katara set the rosehips into the hot water, watching as they turned into a dark, blood red tea. Katara looked at Zuko like she didn't really expect the tea to work. "Trust me," the prince whispered. Katara decided to and took a small cup. Scooping up the tea, she kneeled next to the delirious Earthbender on the ground. Kiena groaned.

"It's okay," Katara said soothingly. "It's just me." Kiena seemed to acknowledge the voice as a friend. Katara gently lifted Kiena head up. "Kyru, can you help me get this down her throat?" Kyru nodded and held his sister's head.

It took the better part of the hour to get Kiena to drink, but when all was said and done, most of the tea was in her stomach. Katara smiled with relief. "If what Zuko said is true, then this should help her greatly." Suddenly, the Waterbender nearly fell down from exhaustion.

"You need to sleep," Kyru said. "I'll keep an eye on Kiena." Katara looked ready to protest, but Zuko clamped a hand ever her mouth.

"No. He's right, Katara. If we were in the Fire Nation, I'd order you to go to sleep." Katara gave Zuko a look that said, "Yeah, right," but she got up to go to her pallet anyway.

When she had gone, Kyru looked at Zuko. "What?" Kyru quickly shook his mass of black hair.

"Nothing," he said, though his eyes told a different story. He turned back to his sister, who has coughing. Zuko rolled his eyes and followed Katara.

Katara was already sound asleep when Zuko pulled back the curtain. Her breath came in deep, even breaths, her chest rising and falling. For some unknown reason, Zuko was drawn to this sight. He laid down on his pallet, shaking his head. What on Earth was he doing? He…despise was too strong a word, and he certainly did not dislike her. What _did _he think of the Waterbender?

* * *

Gradually, the fever left the compound, but so did fifty Benders, Si Le among them. After the death of her sister, Li Se seemed to lose the spunk she had had for the longest. Apparently, Kyru and Kiena had a triplet, Kile, who had died in the last Huzon Fever. Kyru spent a lot of time with Li Se, he said helping get her spunk back.

"Oh, yeah, and the crush you've had on her for the longest plays no factor?" Kiena would say when Kyru told her where he'd been after Kiena returned from her part as Su's servant. Kyru would simply give her a glare and sit down on his pallet.

It was still not safe for Katara and Zuko to be seen outside, so while everyone else was outside, getting the fresh air that was needed, the two teens were stuck inside. And it was not helping Katara's health.

While at first she had been very loquacious, the fever outbreak had zapped her energy. Add that to her worries for her brother and Aang… Katara was not healthy.

Zuko realized this when she was up before he was, sweating. Katara was absently messing with the hem of her tunic, sitting on her pallet, muttering something about Aang and Sokka.

"Katara? Are you okay?" Zuko asked.

"I'm worried sick over Aang and Sokka, and that fever just brought back memories I'd rather forget," Katara said. "I feel sick to my stomach, and my legs feel like jelly."

"Exhaustion sickness. It's from dashing about, helping people, and worrying over your brother and the Avatar," Zuko said. "You should lie down." At Katara's attempted refusal, Zuko held up his hand. "It's only going to get worse if you don't."

"I can't sleep," retorted Katara.

"I didn't say sleep. I said lie down," the prince murmured as he gently pressed Katara down. "You can get really sick from exhaustion. Trust me, it's not fun."

"You had it once?"

"Multiple times. Uncle has yet to let me live it down. He brings it up whenever I try to 'overwork myself' as he puts it," Zuko said. Katara laughed.

"Do you miss your uncle?" The question caught Zuko off guard.

"Of…of course I miss my uncle. He's the only one in my family still alive who really worries about me," Zuko replied.

"Is it just me or is he a little eccentric? The only time I remember seeing him and he wasn't trying to flambé Zhao was with the pirates," Katara said, finally giving in to Zuko's request and lying down.

"'Eccentric' doesn't begin to cover Uncle Iroh," Zuko said, sitting back on his pallet. "He and my father were always arguing over everything."

"Why does that not surprise me?" Katara asked wryly. "Your father is not the most agreeable person, no offence."

Zuko sighed. "None taken. Many people agree with you on that."

"And you?"

The prince stiffened. "It's not my place to question what the Fire Lord says or does. If other people don't like him, it is his fault." Zuko turned away, his scarred side facing Katara. The memory of the last time he had questioned still burned.

Katara must have guessed that the scar played into this, because her next question was, "Did that hurt? The burn that caused your scar."

Zuko tensed. The last thing he wanted was for anyone to think he was weak, especially the Waterbender. Katara sensed this.

"You don't have to worry about being thought of as weak, Zuko. It's natural for burns to hurt. If they don't, well, then you're just weird."

"Then the majority of my Nation is weird to you," Zuko said. "Showing pain is a sign of weakness."

Katara snorted. "Being dumb enough to deny pain is weakness. It means that they're not sure of themselves and have to hide behind silly beliefs. That's what Dad would tell Sokka when the older boys would bully him, which wasn't often, seeing how Dad was chief."

"Chief? I thought the Southern Water Tribe's culture had been all but destroyed," Zuko remarked.

"Oh, it has. But not entirely. They still remember who the chief is," Katara said. "After Dad dies, Sokka will take his place. I hope he gets some sense knocked into him while I'm gone," she added as an afterthought.

Zuko remained silent. The thought of Katara being the Southern Water Tribe, for lack of a better word, princess, stirred something inside of him that was not altogether unpleasant. Before he could stop himself, the prince said, "If my father wins this war, he told my sister that any former royalty will be captured and all princes would be…." here he trailed off, hoping Katara got the gist.

She did. Cringing, she asked, "And you?"

Zuko's glance was all she needed to know the answer, and it was not a pleasant one. Katara looked at Zuko like she couldn't believe his father would do that.

Before much else could be said, Kyru pulled back the curtain. "Brought you two something to eat," he said, passing Zuko the bowls. The prince took them, handing one to Katara. Kyru looked at Zuko, then Katara, and back at Zuko. Shaking his head and smiling he left. Zuko heard him say one distinct word.

"Lovebirds."


	12. Dance

Nothing else happened for about three days. Gradually, Katara felt better and was able to move around without the fear of fainting. She joked that Zuko was worrying over her for no reason. Zuko would just retort that a sick captive made poor bait. Everything was fine.

Until day number four.

It was normal. At least, as normal as it could be. Zuko was meditating, Katara was jabbering on. Kyru and Kiena were out doing whatever they were told. (Kyru's escape plan was coming along nicely. "Now we just need to find someway to pull it off.")

Katara was talking about how obvious it was that Kyru was sweet on Li Se. Zuko, of course, had learned to block her out when she was rambling. Suddenly, Katara stopped talking. Zuko turned to her. "What was that?" he whispered. Katara shrugged and listened, Zuko following suit.

It was Su! She was talking to Kiena, who was clearly trying to direct attention away from the hovel. "No, really Kiena, I'd like to see what my husband has done in the compound. He said he'd make some changes," came Su's voice. Kiena finally relented.

Su must have realized nothing changed because her next statement was on another topic. "Oh, tomorrow night is the Anniversary, remember? I want you to do something nice with my hair that afternoon. The hovels will not be a safe place, so it'd be in the best interest of everyone to be there."

"Of-of course, Madam," Kiena said. "Speaking of hair," she said quickly, "why don't you show me precisely what ornaments you want in your hair?" Su consented and the two left.

Katara let out the breath she had been holding. "That was close. Too close. That crazy lady is bound to find us out sooner or later, Zuko." The prince nodded.

"Let's hope it's after Kyru's escape plan has been set into motion," the prince replied.

It was later that night when Kyru returned from picking up the items Ji Li needed. "I forgot the Anniversary was tomorrow until that bastard ordered one hundred pounds of candied lichi nuts," he grumbled.

"What's the Anniversary? And why did Ji Li want _one hundred pounds _of lichi nuts?" questioned Katara.

"Ji Li and Su's wedding anniversary. Every year, Ji Li orders all the Benders to celebrate his marriage, even though everyone here would rather celebrate his untimely demise. We light this huge bonfire in the center of the compound and basically take the entire day off. Except for the cooks and me," Kiena added. "The cooks, well, cook, and I help prepare Su."

"And the guards have a lichi nut eating contest. Whoever can eat ten pounds the fastest wins," replied Kyru. "Ha! All the winner gets is a stomach that could kill and keg of beer the size of Ji Li's ego, if that's possible."

"What? The keg the size of Ji Li's ego? Not even Appa's large enough," Katara laughed. "Appa's Aang's flying bison," she added seeing Kyru and Kiena's blank looks.

"Is it a required event, this Anniversary?" Zuko asked. Kyru nodded.

"Yep. If you don't go, you're more likely to be found. You have a chance to mingle when you're with everyone else," he explained. "Besides, the food's great." Laughter filled the tiny hut.

* * *

"I still think this is a bad idea, Katara," Zuko muttered.

"You think anything remotely fun is a bad idea. Besides, you heard Kyru. We have less likely a chance at being found of we go," Katara said, tying her hair back into the kerchief.

Kiena popped her head over. "Hurry! The bonfire's starting soon and being late is almost as bad as not showing up!" Smoke emitted from Zuko's clenched fist as he followed Katara and the twin Earthbenders out.

The sound of revelers came before the sight. Zuko remembered the last time he had been with the other captive Benders they were all rather subdued. Now, seeing them at this celebration, it was evident how they must have led their lives before Ji Li ruined them.

Li Se spotted Kyru and ran to meet him. The strong Earthbender easily lifted her up on an embrace. Smirking, Kiena turned to Katara. "I believe you owe me something," Zuko heard her whisper. Katara shot Kiena a dirty look and handed over a comb she had found a few days prior. Kiena smirked as put it in her hair. "Ready?" she asked Kyru.

"Um, yeah." The Earthbender blushed as he realized his sister had just seen that. He looked at Li Se, who quickly went back to her original spot, but not before giving Kyru a peck on his cheek.

As they walked off, Zuko noticed Kyru following Li Se and gave him a look. "What?" Kyru demanded. "You look at Katara the same way. Whoa!" He had to duck as Zuko sent a shot of fire over his head.

The bonfire was huge, even by Fire Nation standards. Everyone was talking and there were musicians preparing. Kiena smiled. "This is the only place in the world where you can here music from all Four Nations. Even the Air Nomads. _That _is some really haunting music."

As if on cue, someone playing a roughly carved flute struck up a song that made everyone hearing it want to cry and dance at the same time. "That would be an Air Nomad song, right?" Katara asked dryly. Kiena nodded and sat down on one of the log benches set out.

"If you two want something hot, I'd suggest you sit down," she said. "Food only gets hotter in the Fire Nation when it sits out." Katara laughed and sat down, taking the bowl of…something handed to her. Zuko followed suit, deciding that asking what the something was would not be wise.

For about two hours, Zuko watched as everyone else had fun. He was reluctant to have fun himself, in case a guard happened by and spotted his scar. Katara, on the other hand, actually danced to the some of the Water Tribe dances.

Katara sat down next to Zuko, panting and laughing. "I haven't had this much fun in years," she panted. "Those Fire Dances are fast. How did you learn dance to them?"

"They're easy when you've been learning them since you were five," Zuko replied. "And they're all not as fast as the ones you've heard. And I still think this whole thing is a trap."

Katara rolled her eyes. "I think the problem is you can't dance."

"You think I'd spend fourteen years in the Fire Lord's Court and _not _know how to dance?" Zuko asked. "You're thicker than you look."

Katara put her hands on her hips. "Oh really? Then prove it."

"I don't have to prove anything to a Water peasant."

"Either you show me you can dance or I'll call you a liar," Katara threatened. Zuko smirked and got up.

"Fine." He listened as the musicians began a familiar waltz. "This is a waltz from the Fire Nation." Katara shook her head.

"Oh no. I don't prove I can dance."

"Well, you're threatening me, so you're part of this dare." Zuko took Katara's hand and led her to where the other people were beginning the waltz.

It was a long waltz, with many twists and spins. If it were not for the fact that Zuko knew this particular waltz perfectly, he would have been as dizzy as Katara looked. (And that was dizzy.) By the time the waltz was through, the kerchief that was usually on Katara's head had fallen off and she holding on Zuko for dear life. Zuko helped her up.

"Still say I can't dance?"

Katara shot him a look. "Shut up."

From distant memory, Zuko remembered what his uncle, who had taught him (and his sister) the steps of the waltz, told him what every gentleman did at the end of the waltz. Still holding Katara's hand, the prince brought it to his lips.

Katara's face looked like it was on fire. But there wasn't embarrassment in her eyes. If anything, Zuko saw…pleasure? Zuko bowed like the prince he was and quickly returned to his seat, leaving Katara in center staring after him.

No sooner had he sat down did Kyru come dashing over to Zuko. "You should have seen yourselves! Everyone else had to stop, the steps were too complicated. But you, you two were keeping the beat _and _keeping track of the steps. It was amazing!" Kyru spluttered. "You two are bound to win that dance contest."

"Contest?"

"Yeah, didn't Kiena tell you? That particular waltz is a contest to see who can do the steps properly. And seeing as you two were the only ones who went the whole waltz without so much as a trip…" Kyru trailed off. Zuko groaned.

Soon, the lead musician, who played a roughly hewn flute, called for everyone's attention. "Well, that contest went rather poorly," he said bluntly. "But, thank the Avatar that two of the dancers knew what they were doing." Here, the musician pointed a hand in Zuko and Katara's general direction. Everyone clapped politely. "Well, usually Ji Li gives me something to use for a prize, but this year he didn't, for some reason. So instead, how about another round?" Cheers from everyone echoed throughout the compound. Everyone but Katara and Zuko, that is.

"I just got caught breath," Katara muttered. "I really don't to do that again."

"Neither do I," admitted Zuko. "No one even told me it was contest."

"No one told me either, or I would never have challenged you. Should let in? They sound like they're not gonna shut it unless we do," pointed out Katara. She was right. Sighing, Zuko nodded and led Katara back to the center area. The waltz began again, this time a bit faster. Katara groaned and allowed Zuko to lead her in the waltz.

Again, they executed the waltz perfectly, even though Katara nearly fainted from all the spinning. When they finished, the roar of clapping was loud enough to wake the dead. The two teens refused calls for a third, faster round. "I feel liable to faint. Did you have spin me so fast?" Katara complained to Zuko.

"At that tempo, yes. Sorry," Zuko muttered. Everyone was starting to head back to the hovels. Katara spotted her kerchief on the ground. She made to get up but Zuko stopped her. "I'll get it. You might fall with dizziness." Katara made as if to argue, but realized the prince was right and let Zuko get it.

"Hehe." The weird laughter caught Zuko's attention. Looking up, Zuko saw the crazy old man, Chon, from his first night in the compound.

"May I ask what is so funny?"

"Fallin' love wi' the enemy?" Chon cackled. "What would yer daddy think?"

"Come again?" Zuko asked innocently. Chon laughed again.

"Never mind. When have you cared whether or not yer Fire Lord approved of what ye did? Never, not even now. Iffen ye did, ye wouldn't 'ave saved the Waterbender from Ji Li." With that, Chon ambled off.

"Crazy," Zuko muttered as he shook head. He picked the kerchief and went back Katara.

"Thanks. What were you talking to Chon about?" Katara asked as she tied her hair back.

"He was doing all the talking. He said…something disturbing," Zuko said. Katara stood up. Zuko took it as a sign she was ready to follow Kyru and Kiena, who were already back at the hut.

"What did he say?"

The question caught the prince off-guard. "He…he said something I really didn't understand," lied the prince. He understood Chon perfectly, though he didn't want to.

"Kiena made some really weird comments after the first waltz," Katara remarked. "It wasn't like her. The comments were cryptic and…about you." Katara fell silent, rubbing the hand Zuko had kissed at the end of the first waltz. "Why didn't you dance until I dared you to?" she asked.

"I'm not a big dancer," came the reply. "I avoid it whenever possible."

"You really are driven aren't you? I'm sure if this were your ship, the very thought of any sort of…frivolity would be quashed," Katara muttered.

"Not if my uncle had a say in it. He loved his music nights." Zuko cringed. "They were annoying. My uncle can't sing, yet he insisted on singing." Katara laughed.

"That bad?"

With a straight face, Zuko replied, "To say his voice sounds like a dying Hogmonkey trapped beneath a hot stone would be a great injustice, both to Hogmonkey and stone."

"Oh, like you sound better," retorted the Waterbender.

Zuko thought about it for a minute. "You're right," he admitted. Again, Katara laughed. This time, Zuko joined in. It wasn't a cruel laugh, it was a genuine, pleased laugh that threw Katara for a loop.

"Whoa, you can laugh!"

"In my father's court, you need a sense of humor at a young age. That or be a prodigy, like Zula," Zuko replied with a hint of bitterness. They lapsed into silence.

"You did well tonight."

"What?" Katara asked Zuko. His question had thrown her.

"Tonight. No one but Fire Nation citizens has ever learned the dance so quickly, and kept up with the Fire Prince." Zuko smirked. Katara shoved him.

"Stop smirking. Just because you knew the dance and I didn't is no reason to brag. If you must know, I was bluffing my way through," admitted Katara.

"You bluff rather well, then," Zuko corrected himself. Suddenly, Katara swayed on her feet and fell against Zuko.

"Sorry. I must still be dizzy from dancing," she murmured. Zuko simply helped her up, accidentally brushing Katara's kerchief off her head. They bent down to get it at same time, resulting in a head bump. The two teens winced. "What, is your head made from stone?" quipped Katara.

"Hmph," Zuko muttered, rubbing his head. "You're head isn't exactly soft either, Katara." He looked at Katara, both realizing that neither had gotten the kerchief. "Leave it. You can get another one from Kiena," Zuko whispered. "Everyone else is more than likely asleep. Come on."

"I don't think I could sleep even if I wanted to," Katara said. "That waltz jumped started my energy." They finally got to the hovel. Zuko held the curtain back for Katara, who gratefully collapsed on her pallet as soon as she could.

"I thought you said you couldn't to sleep even if you wanted," Zuko whispered, careful not to wake Kyru and Kiena. (The former's snores were so loud, Zuko doubted even the sungi horn could woken him.)

"I can't. But that doesn't mean my body doesn't feel it was just rammed by an Elephant Koi," Katara whispered back. "What about you? And don't you're fine. Hiding the fact you're in pain, if you are, does nothing for my opinion of you."

"Who said I care about what you think of me?" asked the prince.

"Uh, you did, when you danced with me?" Katara pointed out.

Zuko snorted quietly. "A Prince of the Fire Nation never backs down from a challenge, even when it comes from a Waterbender. _Especially _female Waterbenders."

"Matter of honor? Or it is a macho thing?" Katara asked playfully.

"Honor," replied Zuko. "I've yet to meet a Firebender who does anything just to prove he can."

"I have," Katara said. Zuko looked her. "_You,_ Prince Zuko. I don't think you lived a normal childhood back in the Fire Nation. If you had, you wouldn't have taken me up on my dare. I was only joking, you know."

"I did-" Katara held up her hand.

"You felt that you had to prove something to me, like you've had to do since Spirits-knows-when." She looked the prince. Zuko looked away. He hated it when women were right, especially about him. It was rather scary.

The Fire Prince let that subject drop, as did Katara. Katara did not, however, let the conversation drop.

"Kiena said we were a blur of color that second time; everyone stood staring at us."

"It was probably because of you," Zuko murmured. Katara looked at him.

"What?"

"You…you were beautiful when we were dancing," muttered Zuko quietly. Katara blushed slightly and muttered something about Zuko being a liar. "I'm serious. And I don't give complements to anyone, Katara."

Katara's face was obviously red, even in the dark. "Thanks," she whispered. "Something's confusing me, though. I always thought you Firebenders were, well, harsh, and that they couldn't be gentle. But when you were leading me in the waltz…" Katara trailed off and looked down at her lap. Zuko brought her face up to face him. (He also noted his body temperature was slightly hotter than usual, something that happened when was experiencing extreme emotions. Like now.) Katara looked the prince in the eye. "I didn't think that you could be gentle."

"Gentleness is considered a plague in the Fire Nation," he replied. "I've gotten used to hiding it." It was dead quiet in the hovel. Even Kyru's snores stopped.

"Gentle looks better on you than anger, hate, and malice do," Katara said. "It makes you look more human." She sat closer to Zuko than she had ever dared to, still keeping Zuko's gaze.

"If we were in my father's court," Zuko said, "you'd be arrested for looking me straight in the eye." Katara didn't break off. She gently brushed the edge of Zuko's scar. (The prince swore he heard Kyru and his sister move closer to the curtain.)

Zuko brushed some strands of hair out of Katara's face, not realizing Katara's hand was still on his face. "Zuko, I-" Katara began. She was cut off by the kiss.

For the first time in the two years after he was banished, the prince felt...accepted. For the time in his life, he felt normal. (Living in the Fire Lord's court doesn't lead to a normal life. Living with Iroh definitely didn't lead to a normal life.)

Zuko felt Katara fall against him. She broke the kiss. "Zuko…?" The prince held a hand.

"Not now. We're both tired." Katara nodded and went back to her pallet, lying down and asleep before you blink. Zuko sighed as he lay down. Before drifting off, he heard three distinct words in Kiena's voice, talking her brother.

"Told ya so."

* * *

Sorry for the MAJOR fluff, but the escape will rely heavily on it. Beside, if I didn't get those two together soon,I'd have driven myself insane. Oh, yeah, Li Se and Kyru are falling in love, as well. Again, something major regarding my plot, or I would have never mentioned it.

Pop Quiz! Do you think I've ever been kissed?


	13. Heal

Answer to Pop Quiz: Nope. I haven't yet. I think the lack of _real _romance in my life helps fuel my fanfic.

* * *

Zuko woke up to Kiena's shaking. "Hurry. Kyru was called out today and I don't think it was about running errands. You Katara need to be ready to run if it comes to it." Zuko wordlessly stood up.

"I'll wake up Katara, you try to find out where Kyru went and why," Zuko ordered. Kiena nodded and left the hovel.

Zuko knelt down by Katara. All it took was small shake. "Katara, Kiena says something might be wrong and we need to be ready to run." Katara nodded and stretched.

"What's wrong?" Zuko shrugged.

"She said that Kyru was called off today and it might not be about errands." Katara's eyes opened wide.

"You don't think…?" Zuko looked at the curtain.

"I hope not."

* * *

Kyru's friendly face peered over the curtain about an hour later. "It was false alarm. Come on. There's something I need everyone." Zuko and Katara followed. 

The crowd outside the hovel was huge. Kyru's loud voice rang out. "It would appear that Ji Li is badly injured. Apparently, he's been in extreme pain from a series of burns he got when Prince Zuko and the Waterbender Katara escaped." Though they had to show upset, Zuko could tell the Benders were ecstatic. "I was called up today to see if I knew of a Waterbender who could heal. Anyone?"

There was silence. Everyone knew of one, but many of them owed their life and the life of their family to her. It was Katara who spoke up.

"I'll do it." She stepped forward. Kyru looked apprehensive, but nodded, albeit reluctantly.

"No!" Zuko cried out before he could stop himself. "Katara, can talk you?" The Waterbender nodded and followed Zuko back into hovel.

"You can't do this," the prince said as soon they were alone.

"Maybe I can find out his weakness or drug him, leaving us free to escape," explained Katara. "Besides, I'm the only Waterbender Healer, you know that." She snorted. "Why do you even care? I thought I was to be bait for Aang."

Zuko rolled his eyes inwardly. Women could be so annoying. "It started out that way, but…not anymore."

Katara gave him a skeptical glance. "So, last night…I didn't imagine it?" Zuko shook his head. What happened next threw both Benders. (And those listening closely outside the hovel and the few who were able to peek inside.) Before he could stop himself, Zuko moved closer to Katara, who fell into his embrace. "I thought the night was just a dream," Katara admitted. Zuko brought her face to his.

"Does this feel like a dream?" the prince whispered. He kissed Katara gently.

Katara shook her head when Zuko pulled away. "It is definitely _not _a dream. But I still have to be the one who goes to heal Ji Li."

"What if he recognizes you?"

"My hair is still really short. I could fool my own brother! And I'll wear a kerchief. No one will be able recognize me. And are you telling you'd rather stay here and not back to chasing Aang?" Katara teased. "That's not the Prince Zuko I know."

Zuko smiled. "Good point." He got serious. "But it's still dangerous." Katara laughed.

"I traveled with the Avatar with you and a bunch of Fire Nation goons (no offence) chasing us. Could anything be anymore dangerous than that? Well, being covered with spicy honey and being thrust into a Scorpion Bee hive, maybe. But Ji Li is no Scorpion Bee, and I'm not covered with spicy honey. Trust me, I'll be fine. Besides, who said anything actually _healing _him? I could just make it worse," Katara added as the two left the hovel.

Everyone outside tried not look like that they had been spying, yet whispers reached the two teens' ears. Most were claiming the things that had been wagered against their claim that the two would fall in love. (One twosome were quietly arguing about who said that it'd be Zuko confess. The winner got a nice knife.) Zuko looked at Kyru, who just shrugged like he had no idea what was going on.

Katara started going around, asking if anyone had any herbs that would help with the healer guise. Many of the Benders had some, which they willingly gave her. Li Se even gave Si Le's old kerchief for Katara to wear. "It was only thing not red she owned," Li Se said. "It belonged to the nanny we had as children; she was from the Water Tribes."

Katara took it reverently. "I'll make sure to keep it in one piece." She tied her hair back with it. Li Se smiled with tears in her eyes. Kyru saw and gently took his sweetheart by her arm.

"Excuse us," he whispered. Katara nodded.

"I just thought of something," Zuko muttered. Katara, and the whole compound, turned to him. "What if Ji Li tries to have Katara followed?"

"Good point," Kiena agreed. "I say we have a bunch of us waiting by compound door and when she enters, we swarm her. It will confuse anyone following her, especially if the women all wear kerchiefs. Every Waterbender owns a blue kerchief, which will really confuse anyone." All the Benders there agreed it was a good plan.

Katara nodded, glad that had been settled _before _she left. Zuko whispered in her ear, "Don't worry. Everything will be fine. Kyru told me that it's Madam Su who will be coming to get you after lunch, which hours away.. Kiena will be going with you. Ji Li will only need you for about thirty minutes today, while you diagnosis the severity of burns."

"If you gave them to him, they'll be bad. And depending on how long we've been in here will factor in to whether or not I can heal them. He might have a bunch of serious scars." Katara scowled. "Which I hope is the case."

"Try to find out his weakness or something while you're annoying the enemy,  
Zuko said, smiling.

Katara laughed. "Like I'd do anything else."

"What? Annoy the enemy or find out his weakness?"

"Both," Katara quipped with a smile. Zuko rolled his eyes and muttered something about how annoying fourteen-year-olds were at times. "Oh, like you weren't annoying at my age, Zuko. If I remember, you're still annoying at times."

"Like when?" Zuko whispered, leading Katara away from the crowd.

"Like when you call me a Water Peasant. I told you, if the culture of the Southern Water Tribe was still intact, my dad would the chief, making me-"

"Princess Katara," Zuko finished. "I know." Zuko had led Katara to the hovel. "You need to rest and conserve energy. Facing Ji Li will be no picnic."

"Tell me about. I've faced the half-brained idiot before, and that's when I had a monster headache," Katara said. "I'll be fine, trust me."

Just then, the compound gates opened up to reveal Su. "It must be lunch already," Katara muttered. "I'll be back." Zuko didn't let go of Katara's hand, which he had been holding as he led her away. "Zuko, I need to go."

Zuko pulled Katara into his embrace. "Not yet." The two teens drew closer.

* * *

It had been an hour since Katara left and Zuko was worried. "I thought you said it'd only be half an hour!" Zuko muttered to Kyru, who was standing with Li Se. 

"It could be that Ji Li is questioning her," Kyru replied. "Or the healing is taking longer than expected. Or both. There's no need to worry."

Zuko started pacing. "She still should have been back by now." Before more could be said, the gates opened up and Katara, alias Kana the Healer, slipped in.

Instantly, the women in the compound started flooding the area around the gates. Anyone following Katara lost the trail for sure. Suddenly, Katara popped up beside Zuko, kerchief gone.

"Back. And guess what Ji Li's weakness is?"

* * *

I love cliffies. :p 


	14. Discovery

"Wine?"

Katara nodded. "He was stone drunk when I went to see him. If someone were to lace his wine, then…"

"Perfect escape," Kyru finished. "Katara, you're a genius."

"I know. But he only takes wine from his hip flask, and he only lets Su fill that," Katara added. "And there is no way on this Earth that she'd betray her husband."

"Yes, there is." Everyone turned to Li Se, who was sitting in the hovel with the four other Benders. "Su doesn't really love Ji Li, she just married the bastard 'cause she's a half-breed and he'll _only _marry women who won't bear Benders. And the only people who can't bear Benders are half-breeds. Convince Su that Ji Li loves another and _wham! _She'll willing drug 'im."

"Hey, bro, did ya fall in love with the looks or the brains?" Kiena asked playfully. Everyone, even Kyru, laughed at that comment.

"The question is," Zuko pointed out, "is there any other way to convince her of that without getting someone hurt? I've seen what women will do when they find out their husband isn't being faithful."

"Not pretty," Kyru admitted. "I know. We can say it's a surface girl, also a half-breed. That's what a lot of my surface runs have been for, delivering things from Ji Li to his mistress. Kiena, will you spread the rumor around? Sooner or later it'll float up to Su." His twin nodded.

"I'll find some way to injure Ji Li again and get him to ask for Katara, I mean Kana," Kiena said with a smile. "Maybe I can 'accidentally' bend a rock onto his leg and break it." Katara nodded.

"Good thing I know how to heal broken bones. One good thing that came from the injuries Ji Li inflicted on us; I was able to try healing Zuko's broken arm and found out I could." Zuko rubbed the offended arm. It still tingled with pain sometimes.

"Okay, so I'll see if I can get to Jin-Se and tell to start the tunneling," Kyru said, clapping his hands together.

"Tunneling?" the others asked in unison. Li Se, who had been getting to go, promptly sat back down.

"Kyru? What tunneling?" Both the sister and sweetheart of the muscular Earthbender turned to Kyru with suspicious looks. The Earthbender turned red.

"Um, part of the escape plan involved tunnels, in case the offense act doesn't work. We'd usher the women and any children into them first, along the wounded. We didn't tell you because we don't want the thought of failure hanging over the heads of the Benders," Kyru explained sheepishly.

"And just when were you going to tell us?" Kiena asked.

"Um, in case of failure." Kyru ducked as his sister sent a stone flying at him. Li Se sent a small Fire Blast in his general direction.

Katara sat laughing. Zuko tapped her shoulder. "I think we should get out of here," he said, glancing Kiena and Li Se's attacks, which were getting progressively bigger. Katara nodded and followed Zuko out.

If they had been outside, the full moon would have been shining down. Katara sighed. "I miss the outside world. I've down here too long. I miss the Cricket Birds, and the wind, and the moon. Heck, I even miss the heat." (The underground compounds, arena, and village area were always a cool temperature.) "I'd love to walk by a river and Waterbend the water into a double or single water whip."

Zuko nodded. "A Firebender's powers will diminish if they are out of the sun for too long. I'm safe, but I worry for the other Firebenders, the ones who have been here longer. They might never get back to their full potential if they don't get out of this place soon."

Katara shook her head. "Why does Ji Li do this?"

"Because he's scared, Katara." Both the Waterbender and the Fire Prince turned around to see Madam Su.

"I've known you two were here since the night Prince Zuko mentioned the rosehips," Su explained. "I was the one who dropped them for Kyru. Kiena's the closest thing I have for a friend in this damned dungeon. I wasn't let her die."

"Yet you'll stand by and let your husband imprison thousands of Benders?" Katara asked. Su shook her head.

"I did, and I'm sorry. Ji Li was talking to…to Hin. I was going to bring some wine to Ji Li and I overheard…overheard him saying that as soon as he could, he was going to poison me. I haven't bore any children and…and Ji Li is disgraced." Su started to weep. Katara went over and began to comfort the distraught Su.

"How do we know this isn't a trap?" Zuko asked.

"Why does everything have to trap to you, Zuko?" Katara asked incredulously. "Would someone fake this?" She motioned to the weeping lady.

"A skilled tactician would," Zuko replied. "And trust me, Ji Li is a skilled tactician. Maybe she doesn't know it, but Su could be leading him straight to us. I grew up in my father's court; I've seen every sort of trap possible and this has 'trap' written all over it." Katara shook her head.

"I've learned that when it comes to things like this, I trust my instincts, and they're tellin' me that this is not a trap. I've seen traps, been caught by traps, and escaped traps. I think I know what a trap looks like," Katara said.

"What would you know about traps?"

"A lot more than you would know! I've been trapped before! And by who? A silly little Fire Prince with no respect or honor for others." With that stinging remark, Katara led Su off to Kyru and Kiena's hovel, leaving Zuko alone.

The Fire Prince took a deep breath, breathing out fire. How dare she say that? He had more respect than she could ever dream of. His honor, yes, wasn't restored, but even so.

_I rescued her friend the Avatar and offered help to Zhao. I have more respect than she'll ever have. I was foolish to have any feelings other than hate towards her; she's just like my sister._

_No_, his conscience nagged. _If she were, she would not have helped you when you were in serious pain. She would not have comforted Su._

Why was it that every time Zuko criticized Katara, his conscience would kick in? A true son of the Fire Nation didn't have a conscience.

_Yes, they do. And they listen to it. Your father is not a true son of the Fire Nation, Zuko. You are. The Fire Nation was once known for its beautiful works of art, not destruction. You know this. Your mother had many scrolls on the subject of art._

Zuko stopped. Why had that thought come up? He hadn't thought about that in six years, the year his mother died.

His mother was always the gentle one; she never yelled, argued, or fought, even though she was a master at the broadswords. Instead, she would study her histories and such. Needless to say, Ozai hated the Fire Lady.

When Zuko was ten, his mother had given him one of her art scrolls. Zuko was reading it when his father came up and demanded the scroll. Scared, the young prince obeyed and gave his father the scroll. Ozai took it and a few days later had his wife killed, under the crime of treason to the Fire Lord. Zuko had known it was his fault, even though Iroh tried to tell him differently.

He had burned the scroll, along with almost anything that reminded Zuko of his mother. Everything but his broadswords, but those were destroyed in the explosion of his ship.

Zuko shook his head. Why was he thinking about this? He got his mind back on the topic at hand, Katara.

The Fire Prince tried to feel hate towards her, and nearly succeeded. But every time he got close, something would pop up, like the memory of the waltz, or her healing him.

"What's matter with me?" he muttered. "I had no problem hating her before this whole mess."

_But you didn't hate her._

Smoke tendrils came from Zuko's clenched fist. Of course he hated her! He had beaten her at the North Pole, hadn't he?

_But you didn't scar her, like the protocols of the Fire Nation demand, did you?_

_She's a girl!_

_So? The Laws of the Fire Nation show no mercy, even to "girls". So why show mercy to Katara? Why didn't you lash out at her when she insulted you?_

_Why are you worrying about her now?_

"Grrrr…" His conscience was really starting to sound like his uncle, as in annoying. Giving up, Zuko headed back for the hovel.

"There you are!" Kiena cried. "Katara, as Kana, is leading Su back to her room, and Kyru is walking Li Se back to her hovel. Where were you?"

"Uh…walking," the price replied. "I'm going to bed." Kiena shrugged and went back to the needlework she had laid out.

Zuko sighed as he dropped to his pallet. "What…?" Something was digging into his back. Sitting up, Zuko pulled out the culprit.

It was a small package with a note attached. It had the prince's name on it. Curious, Zuko tore the note of and read.

_Zuko, _it began in Katara's handwriting, _I apologize for what I said tonight. I just couldn't believe that you would think Su was laying a trap, probably like you couldn't believe I'm so trusting. I know you have a lot of respect and honor, regardless of what your father says. Kiena backed up the story that Ji Li thought we died in the fever Su told us when I brought her back. It was Su who told him the story, apparently, and Kiena did nothing to deter the rumor. Su has agreed to drug Ji Li as soon as we concoct the potion. (That promises to be difficult. Not even Kyru knows where the right herbs grow.) _

_As I said, I'm really sorry for insulting you. Sometimes we, and by we I mean teenaged girls, say things we don't mean, like you guys do. I hope you can forgive me._

_Don't worry about what's in the package; it's a stone I used to make sure you'd see the note._

_Love, Katara_

It was the signature that got Zuko. Was that how she always signed her notes? Or did it mean something else? Frustrated, Zuko lay down on his pallet and attempted sleep.

When Katara and Kyru, Zuko was still awake, but faking sleep. He heard Kiena whisper that he was asleep and they should be doing the same. The Fire Prince heard Katara sneak past the curtain and lay on her pallet. It wasn't long before her breathing leveled out and the Waterbender fell asleep. The sounds of three other people sleeping lulled the restless Fire Prince asleep.


	15. Plants

Zuko woke up the next day to the sounds of Kyru and Kiena arguing over something probably trivial. (That's all they ever argued over.) He couldn't tell what time it was since the whole compound was underground, but he guessed it was sunrise, the time he usually woke up.

Wrong.

"It's past sunrise." Katara's voice shocked the prince. He rolled over to face her.

"What do you mean?"

"You slept late. It's about an hour after sunrise. Hurry up and get moving. Su and Kiena are taking us to Su's room. She has some herbalist scrolls and we, that includes you, are going to search through them to see which herbs would best suit our needs. Oh, Su also brought a hood so we could hide your scar." Katara pointed to the hood as she tied her hair back with the late Se Li's bandanna. "Lots of the Firebenders where hoods, so you'll blend in perfectly."

Zuko took the hood and pulled it over his face. "She thought of everything, didn't she?" he muttered.

"Do you still think it's a trap?"

"No, but it is all a little fishy if you ask me."

"Well, nobody did, so come on!" Katara took Zuko's wrist and led, no, _dragged _the Fire Prince out of the hut.

"About time. I've never known you to sleep late, Zuko," Su said. Everyone hushed her.

"Don't say that name out loud," Kiena rebuked. "It's better if we call him nothing. Just follow Kat-Kana," she said, catching herself in time. Zuko nodded and sank further back into his hood as he followed the others.

"This is where I spend most of the day," Su said proudly when they reached her room. Zuko took a quick look around.

"My quarters on the ship had more furniture," he muttered. Katara shot Su a look.

"I've seen tents with more decoration, Su." Su shrugged.

"It's winter; I spend most of time in the summer out in my garden. Now, are we going to go through those scrolls or not?" She pointed to a pile of tightly bound scrolls on her table. Kiena sat down on a chair and took one of the scrolls. Katara followed suit, as did Zuko and Su.

* * *

"I've got nothing. You?" Kiena asked.

"Plenty of spices in this scroll, but no sleeping herbs," called Su.

"I found herbs," Katara said, "but any sleeping herbs are also healing herbs. And there are a lot of herbs for love, lust, fertility, and luck. Hmm, maybe we should just give Ji Li some of those and make him fall madly in love with you, Su. He'd do anything for you then. Zuko, did you find anything?"

The prince shook his head. "Recipes, spices, and what appears to be list of flowers planted in a garden."

"I've been looking for that," Su said, snatching the last scroll from Zuko. "I wanted to know if they planted those Ice Lilies from the Northern Water Tribe last winter."

"Did you say Ice Lilies?" Katara questioned.

"Yeah. They're one of the most beautiful flowers of any Nation. Ah! They did! Hey!" Katara whipped the scroll from Su's hands.

"I wish you had told me about this sooner, Su. You wouldn't happen to have planted Breeze Violets and Rock Ivy, would you?" Kiena held up her hands.

"Okay, you lost me. Rock Ivy I recognize, but what the heck is an Ice Lily? What's a Breeze Violet, for that matter?" she asked.

"An Ice Lily is the only type of flower that grows at poles," Katara explained. "Breeze Violets, according to Gran-Gran, was one of the few flowers that could be grown at the Eastern Air Temple. If you take the roots of the Ice Lily, petals of the Breeze Violet, a section of Rock Ivy, and the open blossom of the Fire Rose and compounded them into a paste, it can be used to make a _very _potent sleeping potion that could knock out a flying bison herd in two minutes."

"One problem," Su interrupted. "The Fire Roses I planted won't bloom, so we can't get the open blossom, or any blossom, from it."

"Do you have Firebenders tending them?" Everyone turned to Zuko. "Fire Roses require hot temperatures to bloom properly. They grow normally in the Fire Nation, where it is usually hot, but in these mountains, they need constant heat."

"How do you know this?" Kiena asked. Zuko turned away.

"My mother told me when she was still alive." Katara looked at him closely, but before she could say anything, Su broke in.

"Well, Ji Li refuses to let Firebenders out into the sun, said that it feeds their powers. Would constant flames near the roses work?" Zuko nodded. "Good. I'll tell Ji Li give me firewood to get those roses bloomin'. I think it would be best if you and Kana go back to the compound. Don't want anyone getting suspicious," Su said to Zuko. The Fire Prince nodded and motioned to Katara, who followed.

Once back at the hovel, Katara untied her kerchief. "That took longer than I thought it would," she muttered. Zuko shrugged slightly. Katara sighed in exasperation. "What is your problem? Ever since last night, you've been all moody. I mean, it's usual for you, but usually you'd yell, or get mad, or something explosive! I've never known you to be, well, _calm _for this long." She looked at Zuko, full of concern. "Is something wrong?"

"No," Zuko replied quietly.

"What _is_ it with men and denying something's wrong? Sokka is the same way," Katara exclaimed.

"What is it with women and being so nosy?" Zuko quipped.

"We have to be nosy to find out what's wrong with men, since they won't tell us themselves. So, what's wrong? And don't say nothing, because with you, nothing is always something," Katara said, sitting down on her pallet.

"It's none of your concern," Zuko muttered. He turned away from Katara. He was still a bit upset from the previous night and his lack of sleep. The prince felt Katara's gentle, cool hand on his shoulder.

"Zuko, you don't have to lie to me. I can tell when something's wrong, and something is definitely wrong. And if this is about being macho, forget it. It doesn't impress any girl with a grain of sense." Zuko turned to face Katara. Though she sounded aloof, the Fire Prince could see concern in her eyes. Still, it would prove he was weak if he confided what was wrong with him.

Katara must have realized this because she next said, "I know you aren't weak, Prince Zuko, so you don't have to prove anything to me. And it's not like I would tell anyone. Some things are meant to be kept secret."

"And some things aren't," Zuko said. Katara looked at him.

"Like what?" she whispered quietly. She leaned closer to the prince, caressing his face.

"You know." They kissed.

There had been many times the younger Zuko had had a "crush" on a girl in his father's court. They had flirted with him, but in time, Zuko could tell when they were just flirting in hopes of finding themselves in his good graces. (Which was all the time.) And then when he got his scar and was exiled, he thought he'd end up like Iroh, old and single. (Okay, so Zuko's aunt had died, but still.) Who'd have thought that would change in a slave compound?

Finally, the two teens broke the kiss. Katara smiled. "That is definitely something you don't keep secret, your highness," she whispered. Suddenly, Katara frowned.

"What's wrong?" Zuko asked. _Is something I did?_

"Don't worry, it's not you," Katara assured. "It's Jet; he is this charismatic rebel you almost destroyed a whole village of innocent people just because of some lousy Fire Nation soldiers. For some reason, I can't stop thinking about him. He and Ji Li would probably get along quite well." Prince Zuko wrapped his arms around Katara.

"People like that are hard to forget," he murmured.

"Tell me about it," Katara snorted. "How long do you think we've been here?"

Zuko thought about it. "About a month or so, why?"

"Sokka and Aang should have found this place by now. I mean, my brother's a bit dense, but still."

"My uncle should have gotten here," Zuko admitted. "I'm starting to think that they are either very lost or have given up."

"Knowing my brother, I'll go for the former," Katara laughed quietly. "He'd get lost on his way to the graveyard!" Both teens laughed at that.

Katara yawned, as did Zuko. "All that searching drained my energy," whispered Katara. "I think I'll take a nap. You?" Zuko nodded. Both teens collapsed on their pallets.

* * *

"That bastard is going to kill us all! I can't believe it!" Zuko and Katara jerked awake at Kyru's voice. The Earthbender didn't sound happy.

"You can never believe anything, Bro," Kiena said.

"I can't believe it!" Katara popped her head over.

"Can't believe what, Kyru?" He shoved what appeared to be an edict in the Waterbender's face.

"Read that," he ordered. Katara read the paper aloud.

"'It is hereby forbidden to eat anything other than rice, beef, and soup in the compounds containing Benders,'" she read. "'It is also forbidden to eat anything more than the rations allotted. The rations are as follows; one pound of rice a week, seven cups of soup every three days, and three pounds of beef ever two weeks. Signed, Ji Li.' You're kidding me." Katara's jaw dropped. "How could he?"

"Well, we know one thing," Zuko said. "Ji Li can't read or write anything except his name."

"How do you know?" Kyru asked. Zuko pointed to the signature.

"'Ji Li' is the only thing in a man's handwriting. Everything else is in a woman's, probably Su's hand. I think she's the only one who can read or write who isn't a Bender."

"That's for sure," Kiena laughed. "The 'soldiers' can barely put one foot in front of the other, they're so stupid! I wonder why Ji Li is putting restrictions on food."

Suddenly, Li Se burst in. "Su's outside. She wants to talk to you guys." Kiena nodded and let Su in.

"Boy, the Spirits must be looking out for you guys," Su said. "Ji Li said that any I chose as 'personal servants' will get space nearer to my room and won't have to follow the new ration restrictions. Guess who I'm choosin'?" Kiena hugged Su.

"We owe ya one, Su." Su snorted.

"Just take me with you guys when you b-r-e-a-k o-u-t," she spelled, "and we'll call it even. There are…two small rooms that Ji Li said I could use for the 'special ones' as he called it. Kiena and Kyru will take one. You two will have to share," Su said, turning to Zuko and Katara. Zuko nodded, but Katara wasn't paying attention.

"What about Li Se?" she asked.

"What about her?"

Katara pointed over to Kyru. He had a sobbing Li Se in his arms, murmuring into her long, black hair. "Oh," Su whispered. "There's not enough room for two people in every room." She looked Kyru apologetically. Kyru nodded.

"It's fine. I'll stay here with Li Se." Li Se looked up at the Earthbender.

"No, you Earthbenders have never fasted. Firebenders can stand long period of time without a lot of food."

"Superiority issues must be common in the Fire Nation," Zuko heard Katara whisper to Kiena and Su, who nodded. Choosing to ignore the comment, Zuko looked at Kyru.

"You are the only one who has a plan to get us out of here, Kyru," Zuko told him. "If you starve to death (and Ji Li has gone to starvation rations, or will soon), we are all stranded here."

"He's right, Bro. Besides, Mom would send some evil demon after me once you arrived in the Spirit World for letting you commit suicide. Do you want your only twin to have an evil demon on her butt?" Kiena asked. "I know I wouldn't."

Kyru's face turned stony. "I'm not leaving Li Se." Every female in the hovel sighed.

"I know Earthbenders are stubborn, but this is ridiculous," Su muttered. "Kyru, there is not enough room for you two, Kiena, and those two!" she exclaimed, waving an arm at Katara and Zuko.

"Couldn't Kiena stay with you?" Katara asked. "I think I saw a spare pallet in your room when we were looking through those scrolls, Su."

Su nodded. "You're right, there is an extra. Kiena?" The Earthbender sighed.

"If it will get my annoying brother to come, then I'll do almost anything!" she exclaimed, teeth gritted. "_Now _will you come, Kyru?" Kyru nodded. Kiena let out her breath. "Good. Now, do we take anything with us?"

Su shook her head. "Nope. Everything will be provided for. My advice is to not accept anything from anyone not me. It might be laced with poison." Everyone nodded. Su looked at them. "Well, come on! Those rooms are waiting." Su left the hovel, everyone following. (Zuko grabbed his hood and Katara grabbed her kerchief before leaving.)

The group soon reached the rooms. "Small was a gross understatement, Su," Kiena muttered.

"Yeah, but there's hot water," Su said. Li Se and Katara perked up.

"As in, bath water?" Katara asked. Su nodded. "What a relief. We all smell rather ripe." Everyone laughed. Suddenly, Li Se yawned.

"Excuse me. I'm going to go to bed," she yawned, entering the room farthest from Su's room. Kyru excused himself and followed Li Se. Kiena rolled her eyes, and then said she was also turning in. Su shrugged and went into her room.

"Ladies first," Zuko muttered, opening the door of the last room. Katara rolled her eyes and went in.

"If you don't mind, I need a bath and am planning to take it," she called over her shoulder. "So don't bug me."

Zuko nodded as he took in his surroundings. There was a curtain behind which Katara disappeared, a small set of shelves, and a double bed. There was no other furniture, much to Zuko's dismay.

Katara soon came out from behind the curtain, her hair and face damp. She glanced around the sparsely furnished room. "The hut back at the compound had more furniture than this," she muttered. "Oh well. At least there's bath water. Do you…?"

"No," Zuko said quickly. Katara shrugged and Waterbended the water from her hair. Suddenly, she yawned.

"Sorry; I thought that nap would have given me more energy," she apologized.

"Hot water will do that to you," Zuko said, removing his hood. "It does that even to Firebenders, even though we're used to constant heat."

"Yeah, I envy your people in the winter. They only need light cloaks to stay warm while everyone else uses heavy coats!" Katara exclaimed. The Waterbender shivered. "It's colder here than in the compound," she muttered as she lay down on the bed. Zuko lay down next to the Waterbender and wrapped his arms around her.

"Better?"

"Much," Katara whispered. They soon fell asleep.

* * *

Major fluff. Sorry it took forever to get out, March is my busy month. 11 more days until Season Two!


	16. Roll Call

In order to explain Zuko to Ji Li, she said he was Kana's (Katara's) assistant. That meant, when Katara would go with Su and Kiena and look for herbs to use in a sleeping potion in case the rosehips mixture failed, Zuko had to follow. Usually, he would just stand and look moody, but there were times he would offer a bit of advice. Everyone was wondering how on earth he knew all of this information on herbs and their uses.

One day, Zuko and Katara were in their room after a day when Zuko piped up with a lot of information. Katara had removed her kerchief and was putting her necklace back on (she removed every time she left the room, in case a soldier recognized it) when she turned to Zuko, confusion in her eyes.

"Prince Zuko, how do you know all that stuff about herbs and which flowers can be used in sleeping potions? It's not something I expect a Fire Prince to know." Zuko looked at her, opened his mouth to say something, and then turned away.

"My mother told me before she was killed," he muttered.

"Killed? I thought she died from the flu or something. Who killed her?" Zuko tensed and faced Katara.

"I did." Katara gasped, paused, and then put her hands on her hips.

"I doubt that, Zuko. What could you do to kill your mother? _Why_ would you kill your mother?" Zuko sat down on the bed.

"It was accidental. She had given me an…art scroll for my tenth birthday. My father saw it and later poisoned Mother for given it to me. He…said it was treason." Zuko sighed, frustrated. "If I hadn't been reading it, my mother would still alive." He put his head in his hands.

Zuko heard Katara sit down next to him. "That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard come out of a man's mouth," she told him. "And, living with Sokka, I've heard some stupid things come out of a man's mouth. It isn't your fault that your father poisoned your mother; he was the one that killed her. If he killed her just for giving you a scroll, he was probably trying to find something to have her killed for anyway." She brought Zuko's face up out of his hands. She stared straight into Zuko's golden eyes. "You aren't a killer, and you know it."

Zuko looked away. "Maybe I'm not now, but I will be later on. You've seen my people; you know what we're like."

"I know what your soldiers are like, but I know that you are different. You wouldn't harm a defenseless captive who's tied to a tree," Katara pointed out, smiling. "Just because your element is powerful and destructive doesn't mean the Bender is. And besides, fire is also a fiercely passionate, strong element, and I've seen those traits in you more often then not."

Zuko looked at Katara. "And I've seen traits of water in you. Gentle, caring, stubborn…"

Katara laughed. "Me? Stubborn? Nah! Steadfast, maybe, but I'm not stubborn. You, Prince Zuko, are stubborn. And driven. And fierce. And passionate. And…" The Waterbender trailed off.

"And?" the prince urged, whispering. He moved closer to Katara.

"And the most honorable Firebender I have ever met," she replied, also whispering.

"You haven't met many," Zuko pointed out. Katara brushed his face, her hand lingering on Zuko's cheek. The prince reached for the Waterbender's hand.

"I don't want to," Katara whispered, falling into Zuko's embrace. "Though your uncle seems nice," she added.

"If you can handle proverbs, tea, and eccentric-ness, then yes," Zuko replied. Katara laughed.

"I've met who has got to be the most eccentric one hundred and twelve year old man there ever was, and he's King of Omashu, okay? I'm sure your uncle will be normal compared to Bumi." Zuko gave her a look that clearly said he doubted it. "I'm serious! No one takes a mutant rabbit, makes it a pet, and calls it Flopsie! And I don't think your uncle would use rock candy to imprison people!" Zuko laughed.

"Good point." Zuko paused. "He called a mutant rabbit _Flopsie_?" Katara nodded.

Just then, a knock at the door startled them. "Come in," Katara called, slipping out of Zuko's embrace. Su came in.

"We have a problem." Zuko rolled his eyes.

"We always have a problem here," he muttered.

Su ignored him. "Ji Li is ordering a roll call of all Benders. I don't why and I have a sinking feeling I don't want to know. He already has Katara's alias, but we haven't thought of one for you, Zuko. And he's making this mandatory unless there is a very good explanation for your absence. He said only very contagious illness and death would qualify."

"Okay, what's a very contagious and not deadly illness?" Katara asked.

"A fever," came the weak reply. "And he knows you can heal those."

"But not instantly," Zuko pointed out. "There is this fever in the Fire Nation; once you get it, you won't get it again. Usually young children get it, thought some older Firebenders have been known to get."

"Have you had it already?"

"Yes, but Ji Li doesn't know that."

Su nodded. "Then we'll use it. D'you want me to tell Ji Li you're tending Zuko, Katara?" she asked, turning to Katara. The two teens looked at each other. Katara nodded, not looking back at Su. Out of the corner of his eye, Zuko saw Su switch from him to Katara and back again a few times, smirk, and shake her head, walking off. Once the door shut, he heard Su crack up. Katara looked at the door.

"What's so funny?" she asked Zuko.

"I think it's us," he replied. Su's laughter increased.

"O-kay, what's so funny about us?" Katara looked at Zuko with a confused look in her eyes. Zuko touched her shoulder and leaned in to whisper in Katara's ear.

"We make an odd couple, Katara." Katara smiled.

"So?" she asked, smirking. "I've heard of…wait, no I haven't. Unless that couple who lived in Omashu count, but I'm not going to go there. It was just too weird."

"Weirder, you mean, than a Fire Prince and a Waterbender?" Zuko asked. He listened as Katara whispered something in his ear. "Okay, _that's_ weird," he agreed, turning to face Katara.

The Waterbender's face was very close to his. He could feel her breath on his face. (Surprisingly, it wasn't hot, like you'd expect. It was cool. Zuko assumed that, as a Waterbender, Katara's body temperature was lower than a non-Bender, similar to the way his was much higher.) The prince gently took Katara's face in his hands.

* * *

"He what?" Zuko asked.

Su sighed. "Ji Li said, unless I can prove you were ill and still alive, he will assume you have died and cut off your rations, even though I told him you were not going to die."

Katara groaned and fell back on the mattress. "This is great, really great. Have the Fire Roses bloomed yet?" Su shook her head.

"The buds are starting to open, but they're not going fast enough in my opinion." Su complained. "And I can't bring Li Se to the garden because it would be suspicious to have a Firebender in the gardens."

"Is it still frigid out there?"

"You betcha. I have to wrap up in my coat my mother (the Waterbender) left me, and it's made from beaver pelt, and one those funny white and black striped cat's pelts, dyed blue. I'm still shivering!" Katara turned to Zuko.

"Did your mother tell you any way to speed up the blooming process?" Zuko shook his head.

"Constant heat was she told me. How big is the fire?"

Su thought about it. "About the size of a campfire. Why?"

"Make it bigger, about the size of a small bonfire. And keep it burning throughout the night," Zuko said. Su looked at him as though he was crazy, but she nodded. Kiena's head appeared around the open door.

"Su, it's him!" Su's eyes open wide in panic.

"Quick, you two hide! It's Ji Li!" she mouthed silently. Zuko nodded and grabbed Katara's hand. He led her behind the curtain. They listened as Ji Li came in.

"So, this is where the Healer and her assistant are staying?" he asked Su.

Su's silhouette bowed. "Yes, Ji Li. Kana is getting some more herbs from garden. My gardeners are watching her."

"I see. And the assistant? Where is he?" Thinking fast, Zuko let out a low moan.

"Soaking, trying to help sores," Su explained.

"Why wasn't the Healer at roll call?"

"I believe I told you. She was tending to her assistant, and asked me to vouch for her absence. Kana told me that it would take some time to get the herbs cut the right way, so she will not be back for several hours," Su said.

"Very well," Ji Li sighed. "Tell her that as soon as she can get it made, I need more of that potion she gave me to help the pain." Zuko and Katara carefully peered out and saw Ji Li's arm was in a splint and was hanging at a funny angle. Su nodded.

"Very well." Su bowed and walked out of the room with Ji Li.

"Oh, Ming Su Li, when you see the Healer, tell her that, if she does anything to the potion other than make it a pain killer, I'll kill her, her assistant, and anyone I might think are connected to her."


	17. Mixing

The small room was as silent as a grave at Ji Li's last statement. Su bowed and muttered, "As you wish." She led her husband out of the room and shut the door.

Katara slipped out from behind the curtain. "That was close, huh, Zuko? Zuko?" Katara turned to the prince.

Zuko had his head in his hands. "Is something the matter?" Katara asked, full of concern. Zuko muttered something Katara didn't catch. "Zuko, speak up."

"Everyone I know gets harmed in some way."

Katara laughed. "You think you're jinxed? That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard out of your mouth, and I have heard some _really _stupid things come out of your mouth. Before I left to go with Aang, Gran-Gran told me that anyone that is caught up in this whirlwind is going to have danger following him or her. Even Momo, Aang's lemur! It's not you, it's this whole adventure. Trouble is attracted to us like Sokka to lichi nuts. It's not just you! Trust me, I don't fall in lo- I don't do well with doomed men," Katara said quickly. Zuko stood up.

"What was that you were going to say?" he asked in a hushed voice.

"Nothing! I said what I meant," Katara said, blushing.

"You stopped yourself."

"No, I didn't! I said what I intended to say."

"What were you going say?"

Katara sighed. "I hate it when men do this! They think they know everything!"

Zuko smirked and crossed his arms over his chest. "Women do the same thing, only more often." He moved closer and put his hands on Katara's shoulders. "What were you going to say?" he repeated in whisper. Katara tried to look away, but Zuko brought her gaze to meet his.

"That I don't fall in love with doomed men," Katara whispered, embarrassed.

"What?" Zuko asked, almost sure he had heard her wrong.

"I don't fall in love with doomed men," repeated Katara, now a vibrant shade of red. She fell into Zuko's embrace. "This is embarrassing. I didn't want anyone to know, especially you."

"Why especially me?" Zuko asked. Katara gave him a look. "Why would anyone reject you?"

"Someone has. Jet." Katara scowled. "He only wanted to use my Bending skills to flood an innocent village. It was sick. And wrong." She shuddered.

"Forget about him."

"I wish I could forget everything; the war, Mom's death, everything except becoming a Master Bender," Katara said. "And meeting you."

* * *

Everyone gathered in Su's room. "Here's the Fire Rose bloom, the Ice Lily roots, the petals of a Breeze Violet, and a section of the Rock Ivy I have growing outside my window," Su said, handing Katara each plant part as she named them.

Katara nodded. "Kyru, Kiena, could you please grind them?" The twins nodded and Earthbended a medium sized rock onto the flora laid out. Katara swept the now-crushed plants into a small, metal pot. "Zuko, Li Se, if you would heat this as soon as I get the water into it, I'll give this to Su, who will lace Ji Li's wine with it. If he sees you adding it, say it's a pain killer."

"And as soon as you give me the go ahead," Kyru said, "Jin-Se and me start the break out."

"And Katara and Zuko get outta here at light speed," Su said, then quickly covered her mouth. The prince and the Waterbender looked at the others.

"I wasn't told anything about this, were you, Zuko?" The Fire Prince shook his head. Li Se blushed.

"We weren't _going _to tell you until Su left with the potion. But _somebody _has serious problems keeping her mouth shut!" Li Se shot Su a glare. Su blushed apologetically. "If this attempt fails, Ji Li will kill every male Firebender and female Waterbender possible. Since Katara knows the Avatar, she would be the only one who could convince him to come back and help if possible. And we know that Zuko's uncle would not be happy if Zuko died, but Zula would, and I don't want the bastard to be happy about anything. I still haven't forgiven her for stealing my sister's crush when we were ten," Li Se said.

"I thought I recognized your sister; she was my sister's playmate when she was younger," Zuko muttered.

Kiena looked at the two teens. "You two are somehow connected to this, and if everyone thought that you had escaped, it would bring them hope and maybe we could win this thing. Don't argue; everyone here is older than both of you, with the exception of Li Se here. And since none of us (except Li Se) are Fire Nation, you can't pull the prince act on us. Respect those who are older than you; didn't that crazy uncle of yours tell you that?"

"Multiple times," Zuko admitted.

Kyru nodded. "So it's settled. Su d-r-u-g-s" (Spelling prevented any spies from ratting them out) "Ji Li, then you two get outta here and find help."

"No." Katara turned to Kyru. "We get out only if everything looks like it's going to fail. Otherwise, Zuko and I will stay here." She had a look in her eye that clearly dared anyone to contradict her. No one did.

Katara added the water to the crushed plants and handed the pot to Zuko, who heated it up, handed it to Li Se, and waited.

Soon the mix was the color of the wine Ji Li loved. "Here, Su. Good luck." Su nodded at Katara and slipped out.

"Wait in your rooms," she whispered. Kyru, Li Se, Zuko, and Katara left.

Once in their room, Katara burst into tears. "Oh, I'm so scared. What if Ji Li doesn't drink his wine? What if he tastes the drug?" Zuko took her in his arms.

"Hush, Katara. It's going to work out, trust me." Katara smiled through her tears.

"Y'know, about a month ago, if you had told me to trust you, I would have laughed in your face. I wouldn't have let you anywhere near me, either," she added.

"Things change. Or, as Uncle Iroh says, 'Life changes as often as the seasons.' Why I remember that, I don't know." Katara laughed.

"It's one things that you can't help but remember for some crazy reason. It's like I remember what my mother's favorite food was and how to prepare it perfectly, even though I haven't made it in…over two years now." Katara wiped away her tears. "Oh, I hope that Su can do it," she muttered.

* * *

Sorry, short chap. Thank you to my wonderful reveiwers! You lot rock! 


	18. Escape

It was hours before the signal came; Kiena knocked once, paused, knocked twice more in rapid succession, paused, and then knocked three times slowly. Zuko opened the door.

"The compounds are ablaze! Su did it! C'mon!" Zuko nodded, and then went over to Katara, who had dozed off.

"Katara, wake up. It's time to get the show on the road. Ji Li is out, and the Benders are starting the rebellion." Katara woke up faster than she had ever before.

"Ready, Zuko." Katara and the Fire Prince followed Kiena out of the room and into the main part of the underground cave. Katara stopped dead in her tracks. "Looks like the world is on fire," she muttered upon seeing the compounds.

"Like Bonfire Night back at the Fire Palace," Zuko agreed. "No time to stop and look, Katara. The others are waiting." Katara nodded and ran off after Zuko.

Three figures were standing in the shadows of what used to be the Fire/Water compound. "There you are, sis!" Kyru ran out to greet his sister and the two teens. "We've lost three Benders; two Waterbenders and an Earthbender. They didn't get out of the way of the falling wall fast enough. The fighters have lost a lot more, though," he added with a smile. "There's only the main guard and the sentries left and we're free!"

Suddenly, the sound of a heavy door being slammed shut reached the rebels' ears. Turning around, they saw the guards had shut the oaken doors that shut out the surface world. "Damn!" Su muttered. "Now what? Not even an Earthbending Master could open those doors when they're locked!" Li Se gave Kyru a look, and Su saw it. "What, is Kyru a Master Earthbender?"

"Who said anything about a Master _Earthbender_?" He took out something small and wooden, went to a small opening, and blew. "But, yes, as a matter of fact, I am a Master Earthbender."

Zuko was getting agitated. "Why don't you and the other Earthbenders just bend the way out of here? The whole place is made of stone!"

"Ji Li coated the outside of the stones with poison; the only non-toxic way out is through that door," Su explained, pointing.

"Which is the way we're going, as soon as they arrive," Kyru said.

"As soon as who arrives?" Katara asked.

"You'll see." Kyru said no more. They group waited for something to happen, blasting at guards when they came near. In about ten minutes, Kyru looked at the door. "Let's start heading over to the door; they'll be here any minute." Burning with curiosity, Zuko followed the Earthbender to the doors.

Before they even reached them, something really powerful _blew them down. _Zuko stood gaping. Katara giggled. "That's a new look for you, Zuko. I didn't think anything shocked you…" she trailed off as she took in what had destroyed the doors.

Appa.

"Katara!" A small bundle of orange and yellow flew at the Waterbender. "We were so worried, then Kyru here told us that you were captured and what did you do your hair?" The young Avatar paused.

Katara laughed. "Nice to see you too, Aang. I'll explain what to happened when we get outta here. Is Sokka here?"

Aang nodded. "So is Zuko's uncle. We ran into him after you and Zuko were captured."

"Uncle Iroh is here?" Zuko asked.

"Yup. Now, come on! We're taking you two, Su, Kyru and his sister, and that other Firebender with us!" He dashed back to Appa. Katara chuckled and followed Aang, with Prince Zuko following.

"Katara!" The Waterbender's brother cried. "Hurry! All of the other captured Benders have gotten out. The whole place is volcano and the activity in here has activated it!" Katara yelped and clambered onto Appa.

"Volcano?" The old general nodded as he helped his nephew up.

"Obsidian is littered outside. They are a volcanic rock. This Ji Li knew that it would eventually erupt; we found stashes of supplies all over the place. He was going to let everyone in here, except himself, perish when it erupted, and this rebellion has aggravated the volcano."

"Appa, yip yip!" Aang cried. The bison launched. Katara smirked a little when she saw Zuko and the others grab onto the side of the saddle.

"Okay there, Zuko?" she whispered playfully. He shot her a look.

They were about three miles away when the volcano let forth. The sound of the eruption startled Appa, who nearly threw the passengers. "Hey, Aang," Sokka called, barely hanging onto to the tail, "what's the opposite of yip yip?"

"Appa, slow down boy!" The Avatar gradually got his bison under control. Su, Kiena, and the general had stayed in the saddle, and they were helping those who hadn't.

"It has been an eventful winter, Prince Zuko, for the both of us," Iroh laughed.

"'Eventful' doesn't even begin to cover it, Uncle," Zuko muttered. He reached over the side and helped Katara up. Katara held onto Zuko.

"Don't say a word," she muttered. Zuko smirked.

"It never crossed my mind."

"Oh yes it did. I've spent…hey Aang, how long were gone?"

"A month."

"I've been with you for month in close quarters. I can almost read your mind," Katara said. Zuko leaned in.

"What am I thinking now?" he whispered, his voice low.

Katara started to blush. "That you're glad to be out of that horrible place, and…" (Behind them, Kyru, Kiena, Su, and Li Se averted their eyes; Iroh and Aang did as well. Sokka was a bit too much in shock.)

Suddenly, the air shook. "Hold on!" Aang called. "Turbulence!" Everyone held on tightly. It was many miles before the air settled down. Katara sighed.

"Now that we're out of there, I guess you're going to go back to chasing us, huh, Zuko?" Everyone on the bison sat in complete silence, wondering what the exiled prince's answer would be.

Zuko looked out over the side of Appa, thinking. His father would not let emotions get in the way of his mission. But, did he want to be like his father anymore?

To be like his father would make Zuko cruel, heartless, unfeeling. Ji Li was like his father; they both had hurt millions of people. The last thing he wanted was to end up like that. Zuko glanced at Katara. The Fire Prince knew he could never be like his father. Ozai never showed love, never was gentle, never showed mercy or kindness to others.

But, if Zula ascended the throne, then the world would never been back in balance. Zuko realized that he was the only hope to return the Fire Nation back to its former glory, when it was known for its art. And the only way for Zuko to take the throne was to bring his father the Avatar in chains.

And end up hurting Katara.

Zuko didn't want that. Suddenly, the Avatar's voice cut into the prince's thoughts.

"If I can master the last two elements," Aang was saying, "then you could 'capture' me, giving me a direct route to Ozai. I have to defeat him before Summer's End."

Aang, that's brilliant!" Katara cried. "Does that sound good to you, Zuko?"

Zuko turned to Katara. "It sounds perfect."

Sokka sighed. "Good. No more traveling for awhile so Kyru can teach Aang to Earthbend."

"I could to teach the Avatar Firebending," Iroh offered.

"Great!" Aang said. "Appa's getting tired of all this flying, aren't you boy?"

Appa nodded. Sokka turned to Katara.

"You never asked my permission."

"Permission to what?" Katara asked, hands on hips and looking at her bothersome big brother.

"Fall in love with a Firebender. No, the _Prince _of Firebenders. And I don't really…" he trailed as every Bender (not Zuko or Iroh) poised to strike. "I don't really mind," Sokka finished sheepishly.

"Good. I wasn't going to ask your permission anyway," Katara said. "Now, can we land somewhere? Aang needs to learn how to bend Earth and Fire in the space of a few months."

* * *

Appa landed on a small island a few days later. There was fresh water, plenty of food, and a cave large enough for three bison. It was there that Kyru finally married Li Se. (He proposed on her sixteenth birthday, which they had celebrated on Appa.) Sokka was still a bit wary of Zuko when he was around Katara, but he dealt with it. (Not that he had a choice. Su had taken over the role "mother-like figure" and took to chasing Sokka with a frying pan whenever he looked at Zuko in a threatening manner.)

"He helped save lives during that Huzon Fever outbreak! He saved your sister! The least you could do is let them be!" she reprimanded when he attempted to forbade Katara from walking in the forest surrounding the cave.

"Alright! Alright! Geez, let up, you crazy lady," Sokka muttered under his breath as he passed Kiena. "Ouch!" He turned to Kiena, who was smirking.

"Sorry. It flew out of my hands," she said. Sokka muttered some more, then ran as Su came after him again.

Katara was laughing as Zuko took her hand. "I think Kiena has a crush on your brother, Katara," he said.

"Oh, please," Katara muttered. "I don't want to think about that. It's a scary thought."

Zuko nodded as he led Katara off. "Very scary."

* * *

I hope you enjoyed reading it! I had a lot of fun writing it.

And, no, Kiena does not have a crush Sokka. She just likes to annoy him.


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